Mother Knows Best
by Ldynwaitin
Summary: Kidnapped and guarded by an ancient Vampire, Josh becomes a part of Mother's greatest secret. Managing to escape he finds Aidan in The Carroll. The Hannibal Lector of Haunted Houses. They need to work together to end Mother's reign.
1. Chapter 1

Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter One

Josh quickly walked down the hallways of the hospital. His shift had just ended. He was glad it was finally over, he was getting tired of answering questions from his fellow workers of where Aidan had gone. Three weeks and they just wouldn't stop.

"Wow, you almost bit that guys head off," Sally said. She was walking by his side.

Placing his blue-tooth in his ear, he tightly grabbed the straps to his backpack. "Really, and how would you answer, _'Hey Josh, when did you go into gardening? I hear Aidan is fertilizing your backyard.'_"

Josh nearly jumped when his phone rang. Looking at the number he could see it was unknown. Normally he would ignore it, but with Aidan on the run, he decided to answer it.

He was glad he did, when he heard Aidan's voice say, "Josh, glad you picked up."

Rushing down the hallway, he moved into an empty room. Sally looked anxiously at him. "It's Aidan," he told her, as he put his phone on speaker.

"I'm guessing this is not a social call," Josh said.

Aidan nervously searched the gas station he was standing in. He was using their payphone so it could not be traced. "You guessed right, I had to let you know, Suren and I are on Mother's radar. We had an incident last night, ended up killing her attack squad."

"Great," Josh said. "And Mother being Mother, she's not going to be happy about that, is she."

"VERY, not happy. I wanted to warn you to try to stay low, keep away from the house for the next few days. You'll have to tell Sally."

"She's here," Josh said.

"Hi Aidan," Sally shouted into the phone. "Thanks for helping me win the bet."

"Bet?" Aidan asked.

"Yeah, Sally said the first contact we'd have with you would be under red alert status."

"So got that right," Sally said, with a pump of her fist.

"Sorry Josh, I didn't want you dragged into this."

Josh heavily sighed, "Don't worry, tonight is a full moon. I was just on my way to the forest, got a new place picked out. Sally was going to stay with me anyway."

"Yes, I'm wolf-sitting tonight," Sally said.

"I'll figure out where to go in the morning," Josh said.

Josh could hear Aidan breathe a sigh of relief. "I have to go now, take care guys."

"Goodbye," Josh said. "And Aidan, you take care of yourself."

"Always, goodbye Josh."

Hanging up the phone Aidan looked for Suren. Last time he saw her, she was standing next to the car. Hearing a moan he rushed to the gas station's store. Running inside he was overcome with the scent of fresh blood. "Suren, no," Aidan gasped. He ran towards the back of the store. Lying next to the coffee stand he found what he tried so hard to keep from happening.

Suren was lying on top of a man, her teeth dug deep into his arm. Aidan grabbed her arms and pulled her off of the attendant. She snarled in rage. "No, I'm not done with him, I need to eat."

Aidan was furious. "Suren, we're trying to keep a low profile, that's not going to happen if you keep leaving a trail of dead bodies to follow."

Suren licked the blood on her lips. "I'm hungry Aidan," she whined, "I'm used to feeding when I want to." She lashed out, kicking the human. "This is not working. I thought it would be fun. It's anything but."

Aidan grabbed Suren by the shoulders, he shook her hard. "Listen, even if you want to, you can't go back. You left mother, she is never going to forgive that."

Suren pulled out of his hold. "I did this for you."

He searched into her eyes, "Suren, I also gave up a lot to be with you. This is our chance to break free from Mother's hold. I promised I'd take care of you. We just need to lay low for a couple of days. Okay?"

Suren's gaze slowly turned to the dying human lying on the floor. Aidan nodded his head, "Go ahead, he's dying anyway, then we leave."

Suren pounced on the human. Aidan fought the urge to drink. He would wait until she was done. Looking up he spied a camera. He didn't even give the camera a second glance, vampires do not appear on film. The police will never know who killed the attendant.

Once Josh ended Aidan's call he grimly smiled at Sally. "Guess it's a good thing we already had the night planned."

"Yeah," Sally said. "A night under the full moon, how romantic."

"Just don't do anything stupid after I turn. I don't want to wake up with pink ribbons in my hair."

"Darn," Sally said. "And I spent so long looking for the right ones to bring out your eyes." She fluttered her lashes.

"Come on," Josh said. "Let's go before Mother's goon squad find's me."

Josh rushed out of the room and swiftly moved down the corridors of the hospital. Rushing out he made sure to use the alley. He would stick to the back streets, he had to avoid getting anyone else involved in case he was being watched.

Coming to the end of the alley, a mountain suddenly stepped in front of him, a mountain with black eyes and sharp fangs. Before he could even take a breath, a large fist flew into his face, knocking him out. Sally shouted out in alarm as she saw a hood pulled over Josh's head, and his hands tied up.

"Let him go!" Sally shouted. She tried to hit the man tying Josh up, but her hands uselessly moved through him.

The large Vampire lifted Josh up and threw him over a shoulder. He angrily glared at Sally. "Go away little mosquito."

"Yeah, like that's going to happen," she said. She followed the large vampire as he carried Josh to a car. He was thrown in the backseat of the car, not a word was said from his kidnapper. Sally sat by Josh's side. She could see he was breathing all right, he was just unconscious.

The large vampire angrily eyed Sally through the rear view mirror as he drove away. "I told you to go," he growled.

Sally crossed her arms, "It's a free country, I can go wherever I want." She was surprised to see the vampire smile at her. "I can't stop you…yet."

Angry and confused, she stood her ground, and stayed close to Josh. Twenty minutes later the car stopped. The back door was flung open, the vampire grabbed Josh and pulled him out. Sally could hear Josh moaning under the hood.

"Josh, are you all right?" Sally shouted. Exiting the car she could see they were in a large dock.

"Wha…What happened," Josh mumbled.

"Quiet," the large Vampire hissed. "From now on not a word from you, unless you want to end up in the kennel."

Sally followed as Josh was dragged into the building and through a hallway. Suddenly he was slammed against a wall. Several Vampires were rushing towards him.

"Why did you bring that stinking dog and ghost in here," a tall vampire hissed.

Sally was surprised to see the Vampire that kidnapped Josh attack the other vampire. Grabbing his hand, he squeezed it, bones breaking was heard, with the cries of the vampire. "No one touches him," the large vampire warned the others. He grabbed Josh and pulled him away from the other Vampires. Sally followed him until they came to the end of the hallway. A large steel door stood at the end.

"This is where your ride ends, little lady," he told Sally.

He removed a bar that was bolted on the door. Aiming it at Sally he shoved it towards her, she gasped in pain when she realized it was made of iron.

"Yes, Iron, the entire room is lined with it." The Vampire grabbed Josh with one arm. "My advice to you is to go away. Your friend here no longer exists, now get."

He kicked the door open, and shoved the bar towards Sally. As she jumped back he rushed into the room and slammed the door shut.

Sally ran to the door, she tried to get through, but she quickly realized that the Vampire was telling the truth. The door, even the walls were made of iron. She nervously paced the hallway. She listened as close to the door as possible, but she heard nothing. Sitting on the floor, she waited. He would have to leave that room sometime. And she would be here when that happened.

Once Josh was dragged into the room, he heard the door slam behind him.

"Sally!" he shouted, as he was pulled further into the room. Stopping he heard something that made him fight with all his might. He heard the sound of a chain. A thick arm snaked around his neck, choking him.

"She's not here, now don't fight me," a deep voice growled. "If I hurt you, it's your fault."

Josh felt the blood rush from his face as something cold was being locked around his neck. Once it was locked his hood was pulled off. The ropes binding his hands were cut.

Josh grabbed his neck and pulled at the steel collar. It was large enough to encompass a wolfs neck, but small enough that he could not pull it over his head. Panting hard, he ran back, he jerked to a stop as he realized that the collar he wore was chained to the floor.

Gasping for breath he frantically searched the room he was taken to. It was a very large room. In one corner he could see a luxurious bed, in another he saw one cot. There was even a small table, chairs, and a television. All were just out of reach. Hearing a rustling he was shocked to see a small cage filled with live chickens. He had to blink his eyes to make sure he was seeing right. The walls of the room were solid steel. He could see faint scratches etched in the floor.

The man that abducted him stood several feet away from him. His hands held up, he moved them in a calming manner.

"There, there, just settle down boy, don't worry I won't let anyone hurt you." Josh finally got a good look at the Vampire that kidnapped him. He was built like a tank and was as big as one. His hair was slicked back. His dark eyes stayed focused on Josh.

"Calm down now," the man purred. "It's okay Phelan, there's a good boy. I won't hurt you, promise." The way the vampire was talking to him made Josh angry. He was treating him like an animal.

"No, no, no, I can't be here. W…why am I here?" Josh demanded. "Why didn't you kill me? Isn't that what Mother wanted?" Josh nervously paced the room. The vampire remained where he stood. "Why am I here?" Josh demanded. "Are you going to kill me? Why am I chained? What is this place?" he babbled.

The man slowly nodded his head, "Calm down, it's okay. I am not going to hurt you, please believe me."

"Oh yes, because you're a blood thirsty vampire and you just kidnapped me, and chained me to the floor in god knows where. So of course I should trust you." He grabbed the chain and rattled it.

"Look, first off my name is Randal. I'll be taking care of you from now on. I'm not here to hurt you."

Josh shook his head, "Excuse me, taking care of me? Why do I need to be taken care of? Am I here for the fights? Is that what she wants me to do? And why are you calling me Phelan, my name is…"

"Josh," Randal said, "Yes, I know, it was, but not anymore." Taking a step closer to him, Randal took in a deep breath. "Josh no longer exists, from now on you are Mother's Phelan."

Josh stepped so far back, the collar dug deep into his neck, "What do you mean, 'Mother's Phelan'? What the hell is that?"

Randal squatted down on the floor, he stared at Josh, to a point of being uncomfortable. He gently smiled at him, "You have the saddest eyes, most wolfs I get have angry ones, they're full of spit and fire. But yours, they're so sad, even when you're angry, they're sad." He leaned in and took in a deep breath. "Yes," he sighed. "So much emotion, you are a fine catch. Mother will want to hold on to you as long as possible." Taking out what looked like a small leather strap, Randal began to pull it through his hands.

"But they don't live long," Randal sadly said. "They never do, I wish they would. You get attached to them you know, can't help it, and then they're gone to soon."

"O…kay," Josh sung. He realized he was locked in a room with a crazy Vampire. Chained to the floor he was not in a good position to demand anything. Taking in a deep breath he said in a calm voice, "Randal, can you please tell me why I am here?"

Randal rocked on his heels, "Yes I can, of course I can. It's safe to tell you now, no one will ever know," He pointed to the door, "You're ghostly friend can't help you." He rapped his knuckles on the floor, "Made of steel and iron, it's ghost proof and sound proof."

He stood up and began to pace the room, keeping just out of reach of Josh. "I always tell them why they're here, no harm done, they can't tell anyone else. As good as dead once they enter here."

"Thank you, that makes me feel so much better," Josh whispered under his breath.

Randal stopped pacing and eyed Josh. He could see this one was a nervous one. He needed to find a way to calm him down. "If you promise to do as I say, then I'll tell you why you're here. Believe me, it's for your own good, you must promise to do whatever I tell you," he held his finger up, "No matter what, promise?"

Josh knew for now he was trapped in the room, and Sally would not be able to help him. There was no way out of here…alive. This vampire that kidnapped him was his only hope of escape, he needed to build some kind of trust with him. Josh calmly said, "Okay, I promise."

Randal stuck out his hand, Josh reluctantly took it, they shook. Josh groaned as Randal's grip crushed his hand. Releasing his hand, Randal nodded his head, "Good, then you'll be happy to know that you were not brought here to participate in the dog fights." Moving closer to Josh he whispered. "You are now a part of something greater, Mother's little secret." Randal looked back, making sure the door was firmly closed.

"What secret?" Josh loudly asked.

Randal grinned. "Told you, the room is sound proof. You can shout all you want, you're spiritual friend isn't going to hear what's said in here.

Sighing with resolution, Josh said in a normal voice, "What secret?"

"Aidan," Randal softly said. "He came close to finding out, so very close. That's why when Mother heard he was living with a wolf, she tried to get rid of you. She didn't know how close Aidan was to you. You see, Mother is the oldest Vampire and the strongest, do you know how she got that way?" Josh shook his head.

"Her secret, that only I know. That's because she needs someone to take care of her Phelan's, make sure they're ready for her. In fact, I was looking for her next one when I got the call. She said there was one nearby that had just become available, you."

Randal sat down on the floor, Josh tried to get as close as possible, sitting just in front of him. "Ready, ready for what?" Josh asked him. At first he was frightened, now he was curious as to why he was brought here. He hoped that he may be able to use this 'secret' information to help Aidan with his problems with Mother.


	2. Not your average Bedtime story

Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Two

Not your average Bedtime story

Randal took in a deep breath, he was about to tell Josh a story that only he had the great privilege to know. "It was in the early days of my kind when Vampires were few, but fierce. You see in that time she was not mother. Each vampire was equal in strength and power, but Mother was one of the weakest. Her hunger for power however, was the most intense of any vampire alive. Her desire to become the ruler of all the vampires was as great as her thirst for blood. It was in this time that Mother discovered something very special about the werewolves."

"She found her answer at a time when she was almost dying. She suffered at the hands of her own kind, they despised her weakness. She was hiding in the forest when she heard someone crying. She found a villager sitting alone. She was so thirsty she ran to him and began to drain him. As she drank she felt different. She said she had never tasted anyone so good. She had to have more, as she drank deeper the villager's screams of pain took on a new tune. He began to change under her."

"It was then that she realized she was drinking from a werewolf, just as he was changing. She said she was scared at first, she heard of vampires dying when drinking wolf blood. Then she realized that she felt stronger, her senses were alive." Randal winked at him. "See, that is Mother's little secret, the one that no other vampire knows. A Vampire can drink from a wolf, but only at a special time. Only when he is not man and not quite wolf, that in between time. When a Vampire takes the blood then, oh wondrous things happen."

"With the wolfs blood coursing through her veins Mother became stronger, more powerful. She used that power to seek out the other vampires of her time. One by one she killed them all until only she remained. She truly became the mother of all vampires to come after that." Randal madly laughed.

"But it was months later when she found that her weakness was returning. Her enhanced strength was not permanent. She needed to drink wolf blood no less than four moon cycles to keep up her reign. She needed to find another wolf."

"That is when my job was created, it is why I am here, I am the keeper of her 'Phelan's'. It is an old Irish name, it simply means 'wolf'." He pointed to Josh, "You are her new Phelan. I have sworn an oath to keep her secret, and care for her wolfs, no one else must know."

Josh saw Randal now pull the leather strap violently through his fingers. "Keeping a stock of her own wolfs in seclusion, she then made a declaration that no vampire may drink wolf blood, making sure they would not find out her secret. If the other vampires knew, they would seek out your kind. Drink their blood and rip her apart so that they can become the leader of the next ruling sect. But no one knows the secret, only Mother and me, and now unfortunately you. You will be Mother's Phelan, until the day you die."

Randal reached out and patted Josh on the knee. "But don't worry about that, you're safe here with me. I will see that no harm comes to you. Mother is happy to have found you, it has been four moon cycles since her last Phelan passed away. You were found just in time." Randal glanced at his watch. "Oh look at the time, it's close to the rising of the moon. I'm sure you can't wait to turn."

Josh's brows knit in anger, "Can't wait, I fight it with all my strength. It's a curse that I never wanted. It's hurt to many people that I love."

Randal looked shocked, "Then you actually hate your wolf? I cannot believe that, most can't wait to become one"

"I hate this damn curse with a passion," Josh hissed.

Randal shook his head, "You are a rare wolf indeed."

Josh gasped as he could already feel a rushing in his blood, he knew this was a sign for the coming of the transformation. He leaped up, "Randal, please let me go. Mother won't like me, I'm not strong, or special."

Randal's head tilted. He let out a long sigh, "Oh Phelan, but you are, you so very are."

Randal gulped hard when he heard a loud click. Mother was here, her macabre dance was about to begin, again.

Randal had to ready Josh. "Head down!" he hissed. He jumped up and grabbed Josh's head and pushed it down. "Remember your promise, you must do whatever I say. You are a dog to her, she demands that you show her respect. Believe me, you do not want to get her angry."

A metal panel on the other side of the room slowly opened. Mother stood in a doorway that led to a secret tunnel. She was wearing a blood red robe. Her dark eyes stared into the room. They grew wide with appreciation as they fell on Josh. She slowly walked into the room. Josh kept his head down, he heard her walking towards him.

Randal bowed down, his head touching his knees. "Mother, I have him, just as you asked. The one that you told me to get, Aidan's dog." Moving closer to her he whispered, "He is perfect, Mother, just as you said. You have a new Phelan."

Mother stopped just short of Josh. She could see his chest heaving in and out. She could taste his fear, she consumed it. "Do I have enough time to play with him?" was all she said.

Randal looked at his watch, "Yes, Mother."

Josh was shaking, he could actually feel how powerful this vampire was. He dared not look at her, he shivered when he saw her pale hand move under his head. Her long fingers curled around the chain locked firmly to the collar. Grabbing the chain tightly his head was slowly pulled up until he was looking into the darkest eyes he had ever seen. He was standing in front of the most powerful Vampire on the planet.

Mother's lips slowly curled to a hungry grin. "His eyes, they are so sad, Randal. So much pain, so much anguish."

"Yes, Mother, I sensed that right off."

She released the chain, her fingers moved under his chin. She pursed her lips as she felt Josh's head trembling in her hold. "Poor puppy, you are frightened of me, aren't you. As well you should be."

Josh felt as if he was falling into those dark eyes. The lids of his eyes drooped, he shook his head. He didn't know if he should answer her or not. As he stared at her he saw Randal go behind her. He reached up and began to open the robe Mother wore.

Pulling it away Josh saw that she wore nothing under the robe. He should have been repulsed, but he was not. Mother smiled with content, he was fully under her hold. She stepped closer to him, sometimes she liked to seduce her prey. This one was young and strong. It had been months since she last fed on a wolf. In the past few weeks she could feel a familiar weakness returning. It took all of her strength to hold Aidan away when he rushed her. Her thirst for wolf's blood had grown stronger each day. But she had this young werewolf now, to quench it.

She pulled him closer to her. He closed his eyes, opening them he was shocked to see Nora standing before him.

"Nora," he gasped.

"I miss you," Nora sighed.

Josh felt a flood of emotion, just looking at her he realized that he missed her too. He leaned forward, reaching out for her. Her arms wrapped around his body. Her hands moved up, her fingers snaked through his hair. Josh tilted his head, his lips met hers. He kissed her, she passionately returned the kiss. Randal stood back, he was glad that Mother was in a good mood.

Josh embraced Nora, she was all that mattered to him now. His hands moved down her body. She felt firm but cold to his touch.

Mother pulled Josh tightly to her. Her passion ignited with the touch of this viral dog. She brushed her check on him, his face was so soft, so warm.

As Josh kissed her he saw Nora's face change. Her hair grew darker, her eyes wider until he saw Julia standing before him.

"No!" Josh gasped. "Not you, not here."

Randal shook his head, he could see the horror in Josh's face. Mother's good mood apparently changed.

"Josh, did you forget me already?" Julia asked him.

He violently shook his head, he began to step back. "Has to be a dream," he mumbled. "Need to wake up."

Mother's laughter filled the room, "This is as real as it gets." She lashed out, grabbing him by the arms. "See what your curse did to me."

Josh saw her face change, bruises and cuts appeared. Josh shook his head, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I di…didn't…"

"Sorry doesn't bring me back," Julia breathed.

Josh's hands fisted tight, "It's my fault." His body shook with rage, "This curse, I hate it…hate it." Mother noticed the stink of the dog on him was beginning to change. It was time.

Then Josh felt it, both of them did, the shift in his body, the change had begun. He fought it, tried to hold it back, he fought the change with all his might. Josh hunched over letting out a scream as he felt a bone in his back begin to shift.

Immediately Mother was on him, she pounced on his back. Her assault was vicious. She snarled and growled as she tore his clothes off. Randal saw her face change. The regal façade fell, revealing the true horror that dwelled within.

Pulling her head back, Mother's teeth began to grow, until they were long and sharp. She lunged forward, her teeth dug deep into Josh's shoulder. Josh now felt a burning pain in his shoulder. Awakened from Mother's spell, he was appalled to see her lying on his back, her teeth deep in his shoulder.

He felt cold with fear, he tried to buck her off, but her long nails dug deep into his side. Again the pain of the change streaked through him. He fell down on all fours. Mother pulled out, her mouth covered in Josh's blood.

"Oh Randal," she gasped. "It is sweet, and so good." Her hand wiped the blood from her chin, she sucked it from her fingers. "Aidan had no idea what he had under his roof, what he came close to finding. When I smelled the dog in him, knew he had a taste of his blood, I needed to end this unholy friendship. Banishment was the best thing I ever did to him. It brought you to me, Phelan." Her bloody hand stroked Josh on the head. "My Phelan, my very special Phelan. I will hold on to you for a very long time."

She plunged her teeth deep into Josh's shoulder.

"Oh god!" Josh cried out, the long nails on his fingers scrapped the metal floor. "It hurts so much." He grunted and moaned as she quickly sucked out his blood. Her entire body tingled, she never felt stronger. Josh convulsed under her, the pain was intense. His battle against the change was weakened. The wolf in him fought for control. Weakened from Mother's assault, Josh finally gave in, he felt the change rush through his system. Randal quickly grabbed Mother and pulled her off Josh. She was flung back, hitting the bed it slammed hard into the wall. She quickly rose and rushed back to Josh.

"No more, Mother," Randal shouted, as he blocked her. "You must stop."

"How dare you!" Mother lashed out, she wanted more, needed more.

"No, Mother," Randal screamed. He gripped her tightly. "If you drink now, he will kill you." Mother took in a deep breath, she could see that Randal was right. Fur was beginning to form on Josh's body. If she drank from him now, she would be burned from the inside.

Randal led Mother to the ornate bed. Slowly he sat her down. She greedily looked at Josh. "So good, Randal, he was so good. I can taste it, taste his battle within, his intense hatred for the wolf. It is strong, its strength courses through my veins." Mother contently smiled, she licked the blood on her lips. "Oh Aidan, you do not realize the great gift you have given me. With this blood my new children will be the strongest ever! I will use them to weed out my earlier mistakes."

"I'm glad, Mother" Randal said. Glancing back he could see that Josh's change was nearly complete. Making sure that the collar would hold him first, he then pulled out a small bucket he had sitting next to the bed. As she sat on the bed, Randal took out a sponge from the bucket and began to wash Josh's blood from her body. He needed to get the stink of the wolf off of her.

Once he was done, she stood up. Randal quickly took the robe and placed it on her. All the time she stared at Josh. The change was complete now, a wolf growled and snapped angrily at her. He knew this woman had given him pain, if he could reach her he would tear her throat out.

Mother walked up to the wolf, she stopped just out of reach. Her dark eyes stared into his. She could practically feel the hate pouring from the beast. "The wolf I drank from before I made Suren, I did not feel as strong as with this one. She has proven to me time again to be a complete and utter failure." Wickedly smiling she drawled, "I know now that dogs blood was not strong enough to give me the child I wanted. But this one, oh this one is different. Yes, I think I see a new daughter in my future. She will be the one that will lead us into the modern age, one that will have the strength to rule properly by my side."  
>"I am glad you are pleased with him, Mother," Randal quickly replied with a bow.<p>

Mother slowly walked to the opening to the secret passageway. The power of the wolf now coursed through her veins, it made her want to fly down the hallway, she couldn't wait to start a new clan. She fought to restrain herself as she stepped into the passage. Once she was inside she quickly closed the door. Taking in a deep breath, Randal now had to take care of his charge.


	3. Even Wolves Have Their Secrets

Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Three

Even Wolves Have Their Secrets

Randal stared at the wolf, it leaped and jerked on the chain, but it did not break. He made sure to check its strength every month. His life depended on it. He knew 'now' was the most important time for him. He had to make a connection with the wolf.

Walking just at the outskirts of the chain, he moved towards the small cage he kept in the room. Picking up the cage, he stepped as close as possible to the wolf. It clawed and howled, as he tried to get to him, but the chain held him back. Randal stared at the wolf. Its paws were more flexible than a real wolf, almost human like, as well as its face. There was not as much hair on it as would be on a true wolf.

Squatting down, Randal opened the cage. "I am Randal, your friend, Phelan." He held a chicken up by its feet. "You are hungry, here." He threw the chicken at the wolf. It deftly caught it in its jaws. With one crunch, the chicken was killed. In four bites it was gone. Fed, the wolf began to calm down. He paced back and forth, howling in pain from Mother's bites, tugging on the chain as he tried to get to Randal. Randal pulled out another chicken. He shook it in the air. "Still hungry?"

The wolf stood still, it was a proud animal. It did not beg for food. It stood and waited, until Randal made the first move. "You are stronger than you think, Josh," Randall whispered. He threw the chicken at the wolf. Again it was instantly killed, but this time he took his time eating it.

As it ate, Randal talked to it with a soothing tone. "Yes Phelan, you are strong and powerful. I always marvel at the majestic beauty of your kind."

Lying down, the wolf slowly ate his chicken. "No one realizes just how beautiful you are, but I do," Randal sighed. "It's a shame you only get a chance to come out once a month." The wolf stopped eating, it looked at Randal. His head turned in a curious manner.

"To the others you are just an animal, but I know better. There is a soul that beats strong behind all that fur and teeth. Did you know Phelan, that there is one thing I left out, when I told your human Mother's secret? A part of the secret he must never know. But I will tell you, for you will never reveal it. Mother found through the years that not all wolfs are the same. As she fed on them through the years she realized that there is one particular wolf that is very special indeed. A werewolf that has become quite the rare animal in these modern times. I was away for months searching, and in all that time I have not found one. Most of your kind, when they become cursed embrace the wolf. They cannot wait until the moon is full so that they can change. But that was not how they were in the beginning."

Finished with his chicken, Randal immediately threw him another. "You see Phelan, this special werewolf's human is very unique. It is a human that is strong enough, noble enough in the mind to reject his wolf. Only a human that hates, despises his wolf, only his blood gives Mother the greatest, the strongest power to stay the ruler of vampires."

"Your Josh is that man, Phelan. He so hates you, so fights changing into you that it makes his blood very special. She fed that hate just before the change. Making him see something he cannot have, something that he is denied because of the wolf."

Randal proudly smiled as the wolf that lay in front of him, his hunger sated. "Yes Phelan, your human doesn't realize his hate for you, has made you the rarest of wolfs, even the purebreds. This modern age has brought the inner beast back in the humans. So few have the morals of my time, but it beats strong in your human. This is the real secret that Mother has kept for so long. If a vampire drinks a wolf during the change that wants it, craves the change, their power will not be as strong as when they feed on one that rejects his wolf. The human that fights the change with every fiber of his being, he gives the Vampire that feeds on him ten times more strength and power." Randal dared to reach out, his fingers gently touched the wolfs head. His eyes smiled as the wolf allowed the touch. He always had a special way with animals, nearly magical. That was why Mother chose him to take care of her wolfs.

"That's my good boy," Randal purred. "I'll make sure nothing happens to you. You're under my care now, no one will harm you while I am here."

Randal spent the night talking to the wolf, trying to make a connection with it. He would stay by his side until the sun's rising ended the wolfs reign.

Josh felt warm, something that he normally would not feel when waking up the morning after a change. For the moment he had forgotten what happened to him the day before. The memories quickly flooded back when he heard Randal say, "Good, you are awake."

Opening his eyes, he saw Randal sitting next to him. He was lying on his stomach on a cot. He tried to get up, but Randal shoved him down.

"You need to hold still, you are not healed yet," Randal growled. Josh felt so weak, he did not fight him. Satisfied that Josh would remain still, he leaned down and pulled something out of a bucket. Using a sponge he began to clean out the wound on his back.

Josh hissed as he could feel a stinging on his back. "I am sorry," Randal said. "For what Mother has done to you. I know your kind heals quickly, but this is going to take a little more time for it to mend. Always does when Mother feeds." Josh felt so weak he just lay there, trying to build up his strength. It was then that he noticed that he was no longer collared. Reaching up, he touched his neck.

Randal smiled, "Don't need that nasty thing anymore. I took it off once you changed back to human."

Humming a tune, he diligently continued to clean out the bite marks left on Josh's back. Throwing the sponge in the bucket he slapped his hands on his knees. "Now then, I'll just get that wrapped up proper."

Standing up, he moved to another side of the room. Slowly Josh sat up. Every bone and muscle in his body ached. He just wanted to block out what happened to him the night before.

Randal returned to Josh with an arm full of bandages and ointment jars. He motioned with his finger for Josh to turn around. To weak to fight him, he complied. Sitting behind him, Randal began to treat the wounds.

"She knew," Josh said. "About Nora and…Julia," he choked.

"Yes," Randal sadly sighed. "Well lucky for you, Mother was in a good mood. You saw her in the image of the women you love." Finished putting on the ointment, he began to apply the bandages.

Josh couldn't wipe out the image of Julia blaming him for her death. "I hate to see her when she's in a bad mood."

Finished, Randal jumped off the bed and rushed over to a small dresser. "Believe me, you don't want that to happen." Opening Josh's backpack, he pulled out a pair of pants and shirt. He threw them to Josh. "Glad you packed these. Once I get your size, I'll make sure to buy you more."

Looking at them it was then that Josh noticed that he only had his shorts on. Someone had to put them on. Covering himself with a blanket his cheeks burned bright red with anger and embarrassment.

Randal only laughed. "Phelan, you are going to make the coming days very interesting. Yep, very interesting."

Going to the door, he grabbed an iron bar locking the door. "You can dress while I get us some breakfast. All my Phelan's say they are ravenous after a change." Holding the bar he quickly opened the door and rushed through.

He was not surprised to see Sally standing on the other side. "Is he all right?" Sally asked. She strained to look into the room. "If you hurt him..." The lights in the hallway began to flicker. Randal slammed the door, he held the rod before him. "As long as he's under my care, little misty, he'll be fine. Now I told you to go, shoo before I get my crossbow. I have a large supply of iron bolts."

Sally slowly stepped back, "You're going to have to use those bolts, to get rid of me."

Randal stared at Sally, "You're a ghost, why do you care so much for a dog?"

One of the lights in the hallway popped. "His name is Josh, and he's not a dog!"

Randal chuckled, "Aidan, you got caught up with a fantastic pair."

Using the iron bar, he slammed it tight in the door. Smiling at Sally he walked away. Sally waited until he was gone. Once she was sure he had left, she ran to one of the side corridors.

She squatted down just in front of an air vent. It was last night that she could swear she heard Josh screaming. Hearing the howl of the wolf she knew that she would be unable to contact Josh. She decided to wait for morning. She hoped that the Vampire that kidnapped him would need to get him something to eat. She was grateful to see that she was right.

Leaning down, she shouted into the vent. "Josh, can you hear me?"

Once Randal slammed the door shut, Josh waited to hear the sound of the bar sliding on the other side. As soon as he heard it, he slowly got up from the cot and walked to the door. He leaned against the door.

"Sally, you still there?"

He slammed his fist on the door. After several bangs on the door Josh realized that the room was soundproof. Of course it was, Mother wouldn't want anyone to know what happened in here. He walked back to the cot and began to dress.

He sat on the cot holding his shirt in his hands. The sting on his back reminded him of what happened last night. His head hung low, he had never felt so helpless or alone. As he stared at the door he could swear he heard something. He moved around the room, stopping at Mother's bed. Listening carefully he could hear a voice calling from the walls. Moving to the foot of the bed he noticed he could smell fresh air. Looking down he found a small air vent. It had been blocked by a piece of rusted metal, but the metal was cracked. The leg of the bed sat at the crack. It must have been shoved up against the weakened metal, shattering it.

Josh pushed the bed over, grabbing the metal he tugged and pulled on it. He laughed with joy as he was able to pull it free. Closing his eyes, he prayed that Sally was on the other side. Kneeling on the floor he shouted into the vent, "Sally, are you there?"

Sally sighed with joy when she heard Josh's voice calling her name.

"Josh," she screamed into the vent. "Is that you?"

Josh jumped up when he saw something flash through the grate. A second later he saw Sally standing before him. "Sally," Josh cried. "I'm so glad to see you."

Sally winked, "Guess you are, you didn't even dress. Spinning around Josh pulled on his shirt. Sally grimaced when she saw the bandages on his back, small streaks of blood was bleeding through.

"Oh my god, Josh. What did he do to you?"

"Not Randal, Sally…Mother." Taking in a deep breath, he told Sally everything that happened to him.  
>When he was done he had to sit down to rest on the cot. He had never waken up so weak after a change.<p>

"Wow," Sally said. "I never expected you to be Mother's snack bar."

Josh uneasily laughed, "Yeah, lucky me. Now I know why Mother wanted me killed. She didn't want Aidan to find out about her dirty little secret. He could use it to overthrow her."

"Or become as strong as her," Sally added.

Josh hadn't thought of that. It would be another way to finally bring down Mother's rule.

Sally could see that he was pale. "Josh, we got to get you out of here."

Josh tiredly sighed, "Sally, I honestly don't know how we're going to do that. Really don't think I can do your little trick-through-the-air-vent. You don't have to worry about Randal, he isn't going to hurt me, not his job. It's Mother that's the problem, fortunately I'm not on her to do list for at least twenty seven days."

Sally began to nervously pace the room. "So we have that time to figure out how to get you out of here."

"No Sally, it's to dangerous, you have to go," he insisted. "I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you."

"Josh," Sally said. "Don't worry about me, remember I'm one bad assed Reaper. No, we're going out together, or not at all."

Josh closed his eyes in thanks, having Sally here gave him a bit of hope that he just may find a way out of here alive.

Sally suddenly hissed. "He's back." She could hear the bar being moved on the door.

"Go, we'll talk later," Josh whispered. She blinked out, moving through the air vent. Josh quickly placed the rusted metal back over the grate and pulled the bed to its original position. He then rushed over to sit on the cot. He closed his eyes with joy. He was able to speak to Sally. He was no where near to escaping from this prison, but it was a step. A baby step but a step that he hoped could turn into a giant one.


	4. Randal

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Four

Randal

Coming back to the room, Randal was glad to see that the ghost was missing. He placed the tray of food on the floor. Lifting the rod he used to lock the door, he bent down to pick up the tray. He saw Sally suddenly appear before him.

"A healthy breakfast," she said. "Have to say Randal, you're a very thoughtful blood thirsty kidnapper."

Randal ignored her as he picked up the tray. Sally blinked over to his other side. "By the way, the name is not little misty, or Casperette, or any other name you could think of to call me. It's Sally."

Sally was surprised to see a very serious look on Randal's face. "Look, I can see that he was a good friend of yours."

"Is," Sally corrected him. "He IS my friend."

Randal tiredly sighed. "Your friend is now a part of something big, very big, Sally." Gripping the tray tighter he leaned closer to her. "I've always felt that a man is judged by the friends he keeps. With you refusing to leave, and Aidan giving up so much. Well I'd say that your friend must be someone very special."

"He is," Sally cried out. "And I'm not giving up on him. I'm staying here."

Randal nodded his head. "I'll let him know you're still here, he should like that."

Moving to the door he gave her a look of warning, Sally moved back. He kicked the door open and backed in. "I'll be here, Randal," she shouted, as he closed the door. "Not going anywhere."

Josh saw a smiling Randal walk into the room carrying a tray laden with food. Making sure the door was bolted shut he walked over to the small table and slammed the tray down on it.

"After last night, you need to build up your strength." Josh could smell eggs and bacon. The scent filled the room. At first he was not going to eat anything in protest of his capture. But his stomach voiced a loud protest. Randal was right, he was ravenous.

He remained where he stood, staring at the tray. Randal cupped his hands, the sound of Josh's growling stomach filled the room. Randal took in a deep breath, "Living with Aidan you know that's all yours, I already had my breakfast."

His freedom was stolen from him. He would take up any battle to show his protest, even if it was small. He remained where he was standing.

After several moments Randal slammed his hand on the table. "Look, it's my job to take care of you. Right now it means I need to get you fed. If you don't start eating…" Randal glanced at the collar sitting on the floor. "It's been a long time since I had to force feed one of my charges."

Josh could see that he was not kidding. But he would not rush to the table. Slowly he walked to the chair. Sitting down he took his time eating. Randal smiled proudly. Sitting in the other chair he once again brought out the small leather strap and began to absently pull it through his hand.

"Your friend Sally wanted me to let you know that she is still out there. I have to say she is a spirited spirit."

"You don't know the half of it," Josh mumbled with a mouth full of eggs. He nodded to the strap, "Would I risk being collared if I ask what that is?"

Randal held the strap in the air. It was then that Josh noticed that it was braided with different colors. Randal sadly looked at the strap. "These are memories," he softly said. "A bit of hair from each one of my charges, helps me keep them alive." He saw Josh suddenly stop eating when he realized the braid was made from pieces of previous wolfs that were taken for Mother to feed on.

Randal tightly gripped the strap. Josh actually saw a look of sadness flow across the Vampires eyes. "Mother chose me because she knew I would protect you with my life. That's why I can't…I can't call you by your name. Not knowing that you will…, that they all will…" He shook his head, "I can't help but get close to them you know, it's a part of my humanity that never died. I was a game warden when I was human. People would come from miles around to my village. They knew I had a knack with animals. Mother caught wind of my special skills."

"I've been doing this for a very long time." Randal looked down at the strap he tightly held in his hands, "Maybe to long." Sniffling, he tucked the strap back in his pocket. "You finish your breakfast, got to keep you healthy."

Josh quickly finished his breakfast as Randal quietly watched him. When he was done eating he sat back, and looked around.

"So," Josh said. "What do you do the next 27 days to keep yourself busy?"

"I work on keeping you alive and healthy," he quickly replied.

Josh looked around the room, "Sounds boring."

"We have all the things we need. A bed, a table, a Television, and…" He shot up and moved to a standing screen. Folding it Josh saw a toilet, Randal flushed it.

"Oh, a mini Jacuzzi," Josh said.

Randal laughed, "You have kept your sense of humor, that is a good thing." He slowly walked to a dresser. "I may be old, but I do keep up with the times." He opened a drawer and pulled out a laptop. Grinning widely, he placed it on the table. Josh thought that the wallpaper on the screen actually seemed appropriate. A giant devil-like monster loomed before him.

"Don't tell me," Josh said. "You a Diablo 2 fan?"

"Is there any other video game?" Randal said.

"Necromancer?" Josh asked.

"Nope, Bowazon."

"That's….not what I expected you to say."

"It's the warden in me," Randal quickly explained.

Clearing his throat Josh said, "You know they just announced 3's selling date." He saw an anxious look in Randal's eyes. Perhaps he could use this game as a way to make a closer connection to this ancient warden.

Randal shook his head, "I know, but I can't have internet."

"Yeah, bummer," Josh said. "I'm going through tweet withdrawal already."

Josh sat back and watched Randal begin to play the game on his laptop. He made small talk, little things that he tried to use to get more of a handle on this vampire. First thing he realized, was that he was not like any vampire he knew, Aidan included. It would take time, perhaps several moon phases, but he could see a glimmer of hope that perhaps, just perhaps he could get this vampire on his side. As he well knew, he had plenty of time to do that.

The next few weeks went by fast for Josh. Randal made sure he was kept busy in all that time. He would make him exercise every day, said it would make the wolf stronger. Josh would comply, but in that time escaping never left his mind.

He couldn't wait until Randal left the room to fetch him something to eat. That was the time Sally was able to visit him. She kept him in touch with what was happening above. Apparently Mother was as angry as she could get. With Suren running away with Aidan it was a clear sign to the Vampire hierarchy that Mother's control was not so absolute.

It was less than a week until the full moon when Sally appeared breathless to him. Immediately Josh knew something was wrong.

"Man, I couldn't wait until he left," Sally gasped. "I've been dying to tell you what happened."

Josh feared the worse. "Aidan, did they find him?"

Sally shook her head, "No, something worse, Suren is back. It happened over three hours ago. I was checking out what was happening on the other floors. I saw Suren walk into the foyer and right up to Mother."

Josh began to nervously wring his hands. "This is not good, Mother is not going to be satisfied with 'The Princess' slinking back without Aidan."

Sally sat on Mother's bed, "You should have seen the look of satisfaction on her face. She knew Suren wouldn't last long on her own."

Josh stared at the door, "Sally, you need to find out if they're getting close to finding Aidan."

Sally jumped off the bed. "That's not going to be easy. They're not afraid of me, and there's lots of iron sitting around. I don't want to end up at the bottom of the stairs again."

Josh jerked when he heard a familiar clicking sound. "Sally, get out of here, NOW!"

Sally blinked out, she appeared at the vent in the hallway. Kneeling down, she listened to the vent.

Once Sally blinked out Josh saw the door to Mother's secret tunnel open up. His mouth became dry when he saw her standing in the doorway. Her face was a mask of rage.

"What do you want, Mother?" Josh shouted loud enough for Sally to hear. It was all he was able to get out before she stormed into the room. Her hand wrapped around his throat, "I am tired of Aidan's games, you are going to tell me where he is."

Once Sally heard Josh shout Mother she knew she had to find Randal. She flitted through the hallways, searching for him. She found him in a large kitchen. He was just getting a tray of food prepared.

"Josh," she gasped as she appeared in front of him.

"What about him?" Randal said.

She whispered to him, "Mother is with him."

Randal didn't hesitate, dropping the tray he raced down the hallways. He had heard that Suren was back, and that Mother was enraged that Aidan was still eluding her hunters. The only reason why Mother would be there was to take out her anger on Josh.

"Tell me, where will he be hiding," Mother snarled.

Josh's hands grabbed her arm, he dug his fingers in, but she did not feel the pain. "I…don't…know." Josh choked out.

She threw him to the side, he rolled into the cot, smashing it. "You lie. I know the pact you made with him. He was willing to give up everything to be a part of the 'human race'. You were his friend, his best friend."

Josh grabbed his ribs, he felt at least one of them crack. "If you know about that," Josh groaned. "Then you know I'd never tell you where he is."

Mother lifted up the table and threw it at Josh. Grabbing his chest he rolled out of the way. It shattered at this feet. Mother held one of the chairs in her hands. She cruelly smiled. "See the gift your blood has given me."

She grabbed the metal leg of the chair and easily bent it as if it was a toothpick. Breaking the leg off, she immediately ran to Josh. Standing over him she slammed the leg hard against his neck. Josh gasped for breath.

"Your loyalty is greatly misplaced," Mother hissed. "I've seen what Aidan is capable of, the carnage, the destruction. How many of your kind do you think he killed, before he met you? He's captured many participants for the dog fights."

She ground the leg into Josh's neck. He struggled to breathe. When she saw him begin to turn blue, she pulled back. Josh took in a deep draw of life giving air. He began to cough and gasp. "He's not that Vampire anymore," he said in a hoarse voice.

Mother took the metal leg, she pushed it against Josh's chest. "Living with a vampire has masked you to how dangerous we truly are. What we're capable of."

Mother grabbed the leg with two hands, she shoved it hard against Josh's chest. He gasped in pain as she hit a cracked rib. "My hand reaches out into the entire world." Her face came close to his, she hovered inches above him.

"Aidan has made me look bad to the others. He has even dared to speak to the Dutch, they have always questioned my authority. In their eyes I have shown weakness concerning my daughter." She leaned down on his chest, "I will not allow him to humiliate me anymore!"

The door to the room suddenly flung open, Randal rushed into the room, Sally was at this heels. Randal could see that Mother had already begun to instill her anger on Josh, his eyes were knit in pain. He had never seen her more furious. A hundred years ago, he would not even think of stopping her. But today, in this time, with this wolf, he realized that for the first time in his life, he believed that what Mother was doing was wrong. And for the first time in his life, he was willing to stop her.


	5. That's what Friends are For

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Five

That's what Friends are For

"Mother, don't do it, don't kill him," Randal pleaded.

"Stay where you are," Mother ordered Randal. She knew his loyalty to his charges was strong, and he may try to stop her. "Do not interfere."

Mother noticed the lights in the room flickering, "I do not fear ghosts," she said with a taunting laugh to Sally. She turned her attention back to Josh.

"My reach is long and deep. If you do not tell me where Aidan is hiding, then what happens next will be solely upon your head."

Mother threw the chair leg to the side, it harmlessly flew through Sally. She stood up, her gaze never left Josh. "First I will find your family, everyone down to their pet goldfish. They will be brought here to serve in the larders."

Mother began to brush the dust from her clothes. "Once they are here I will make sure they know it is your misplaced loyalty that brought them here. Every time they are pulled from the larder they will be reminded that their pain, their agony was because of your refusal to tell me where Aidan is hiding. And believe me, I will make sure their deaths will be long, and painful."

Mother calmly stood in front of Josh. "Your life will end here 'Aidan's dog', that is assured. But it is your choice where and when your family dies. To keep this from happening, tell me where Aidan is hiding."

Josh struggled to sit up. Randal wanted to help him, but he knew he had to follow Mother's orders. "I can honestly say…I don't know where he is."

Mother was about to step away, until Josh said, "But…"

"But, what?" she said.

Josh leaned on one arm, he took in a deep breath. He swore he would keep this a secret, but Mother's threat was just to great. "One day, we had a discussion, where would we go if we wanted to drop off the earth."

Mother tried to hide her emotions as she said, "Go on."

"Aidan told me of a place, in Kentucky. He said he worked there in the fifties." Josh stopped, he didn't want to betray his friend, but his family's lives were at stake. Mother could see his conflict. "Help him make up his mind," she hissed to Randal.

Randal rushed to Josh, he squatted in front of him. "Tell her, please tell her or she will fulfill on her threat." He glanced back at Mother, he then whispered to Josh, "But make her promise not to harm your family. Mother will never break her word."

Josh saw Sally squatting in front of him, he looked to her for advice. "Josh, you have no other choice, tell her."

Josh nodded his head. Looking up at Mother he said, "If I tell you, I want your word, your promise that no one will harm my family." Looking at her in the eye he said, "Right down to the gold fish."

Mother half-grinned, this dog was standing up to her. Well she would allow him this one transgression. "I give you my word."

Josh took in a deep breath. "The Carroll," he gasped. "He said his falling-off-the-earth place would be in the Carroll Sanatorium in Louisville Kentucky."

Josh could see Mother's shoulders drop down, her head lay back. "Finally, the truth." Satisfied that he was telling the truth, she needed to put the knife back in his gut. "I'm going to personally see that he is captured. It will be the only way to save face with the others." She pointed to Josh. "Randal, take care of his wounds, the full moon is due in two days. I may not be back in time." Her eyes twisted in joy as she said to Josh, "But be assured, on the next moon we will have a guest with us. First, I will let him know just how special his 'best' friend was. And after I feast on your blood, I will watch your wolf tear Aidan apart!"

"He will be ready when you get back, Mother," Randal quickly replied. "I hope you have a good journey."

"It will be Randal, it will be." Mother spun around and exited the room without another word. She planted the seed. Knowing that his wolf would kill his best friend he would fight the change with his last breath. His blood would be the strongest she'd ever drank. She could not wait for the next moon cycle.

Once the door to her special entrance closed Randal quickly stood up and slammed and locked the other door. Sally was surprised that he closed it with her still inside the room.

Randal smiled at her, "I know you've been visiting him when I leave."

When he saw a questioning gaze he replied, "That first morning you knew my name. I never told you what it was. That is when I realized you found a way to talk to him. I could see a change in his attitude, an acceptance of his capture so I allowed it."

Walking to Josh, he carefully helped him up and sat him on Mother's bed. Josh moaned in pain as Randal gently pulled up his shirt.

"I can't do this anymore," Josh told Randal. "I can't live like this, in constant fear. Never knowing if I'll be back on her shit list."

Randal quietly began to address his wounds. Already he could see bruises blossoming on his chest. "I'm sorry," was all he could say.

As he gingerly touched his chest to see what damage was done, Josh grabbed his hand. He had a hard time looking into Josh's eyes. "Randal, please we have to stop her. I have to warn Aidan she's coming."

Randal shook his head, he pulled his hand from his grip. "No, I can't, she is Mother, what you are saying is blasphemy."

"You above all know that her rule is a farce. Any Vampire could be the next leader, if they knew her secret."

Randal shook his head, "I have sworn an oath to serve her."

"Then just promise me this. If you won't help me, then at least promise not to let her know that I'm asking Sally to warn Aidan."

"I'm doing what?" Sally said.

"Sally, you have to warn him that Mother is coming."

"Uh, Josh, there's one little problem with that plan. I'm not leaving you here."

Josh pleaded with her. "Sally, you can't help me. Please, you have to warn Aidan."

"No," Sally stood her ground. "The only way I'm walking out of here is with you by my side."

"Why," Randal softly said. He looked at Josh. "Why do you care so much for him? He is a vampire. We've always looked down on your kind."

"I know what your kind thinks of me. But Aidan, he's different. We both found that we were more alike than we thought. We both had the same goals. We made a pact that we would try to make our lives as close to being human as possible. Mother won't admit it, but I think she's frightened of Aidan, because he dared to want a change. He stood up to her, in front of the others. He's a threat to her and her ways. She has to get rid of him because others may begin thinking the same way. "

Randal nodded his head towards Sally, "And why become friends with a ghost."

Josh looked at Sally, "Well she's my second best friend," he choked. "She's been there with me, through the good and bad. I would do anything for her."

Sally squatted in front of Josh, "You guys are the only thing that's kept me grounded. I think I would have gone insane sooner if not for your friendship." Brightly smiling she said, "You and Aidan, are my best friends. I would give my afterlife to save the both of you, and that's why I'm saying I'm not leaving you here Josh. We're leaving together, or not at all."

Randal quietly stared at Josh and Sally. He could see the love in their eyes. They were true friends, they truly cared for each other. An emotion that was foreign to Mother. In all his time as a keeper for Mother she never attacked her Phelan's as she did Josh. He realized that for a split second he nearly tried to stop her attack. A tiny thought now began to grow in his mind, what if he was wrong?

Perhaps his pledge was not so noble. That maybe Josh was right. Maybe it was time for a change, time for Mother's rule to finally end.

Randal took in a deep breath. "Sally, you don't have to worry about going alone," Randal patted Josh on the arm. "We're coming with you."

Josh bolted up, he grimaced from the pain, "You mean it?"

Randal gently pushed him down. "As I said before, I've done this to long. She doesn't realize that a piece of me dies, with each Phelan." He sadly looked at Josh. "That is many deaths. I will not allow this to happen again. You are a good man." Nodding his head he said, "Yes, a good man, here." He pointed to Josh's heart.

"I wondered why Aidan risked everything, was willing to turn his back on us. Now I know. A man is judged by the friends he keeps." Shyly smiling at Sally he said, "I hope you could accept me as a friend."

Josh couldn't have asked for more, "I only have one thing to say. How soon can we leave?"

Randal tugged at Josh's shirt. "First things first, your wounded but thankfully it will heal quickly."

"Yeah, one of the perks of being a wolf," Josh mumbled, as Randal pulled his shirt off.

"A good perk," Sally added.

Randal gently touched his chest. He was thankful that he could feel a cracked rib, nothing more. "First I need to wrap that rib up tight, then I have to figure out how to get you out of here without Mother finding out."

Once Randal was satisfied that Josh's wounds were taken care of, he rushed over to a large chest in the room. Opening it, he looked inside. It had been years since he last opened the chest. Letting out a deep sigh, he began to pull things out of it.

Sally and Josh saw Randall pull out several bundles of money.

"Saved this the past few years, for a rainy day." Looking at the ceiling he said. "I guess it's raining…somewhere."

He also pulled out a small crossbow, as well as a bandoleer. Sally saw several metal bolts nested in the bandoleer. She immediately noticed they were silver.

"I thought you said they were made of iron," Sally said as she worriedly looked at Josh.

Randal winked at her, "Don't worry, these were just for show. I'll be trading them for the wooden variety on the way."

Josh stood up and walked to Randal. "If you join us, help us you may be killing your own kind." He tapped the silver bolt.

Randal crossed his arms over his chest. "I've lived a long time, seen much, heard too much. I think a cleaning of the house is long overdue."

Randal noticed a thoughtful look on Josh's face. "What is wrong?"

Josh nervously pursed his lips. "There's just one thing I didn't tell Mother. Aidan did say he would be hiding in Carroll sanatorium, that part is true. What I failed to tell her was that the place is filled with some of the most dangerous ghosts on the planet. Aidan said it was the Hannibal Lector of Haunted houses. He worked there, so some of them would protect him."

Sally gulped. "Dangerous?" she squeaked.

"Don't tell me the bad assed reaper is afraid?"

Sally laughed, "Naw, just a bit upset that you guys are making me miss the Game of Thrones premier."

"I'll buy you the boxed set when this is all straightened out," Josh promised her.

Sally worriedly looked at Josh. "I won't lie to you, I really am scared."

Josh took in a deep breath, "Me too, but you have to push back that fear just as I've done. Sally, I can't stand being forced into helping Mother extend her empire. I don't think I could live with that. We need to find Aidan, help him fight Mother."

"Your stay here ends today," Randal said. "Now let's go, I think the house will be to busy now to bother with us. Now is the time we should leave this place."

Randal threw Josh's backpack to him. Taking out his jacket, Josh pulled it on. Pulling the hood up, he dug his hands into his pockets. "I hope you have a good plan to get us out of here in one piece."

Randal lifted the bolt from the door. "I do, and Little Misty here is going to be a big part of it. We just need her to help start the right distraction." He explained to Sally what she needed to do.

Sally nodded her head, "I can do that. While I'm away, try not to do anything stupid, Josh."

Josh looked hurt, "Sally, I'm the king of not-doing-anything-stupid."

"Riiight, give me a sec." She quickly blinked out. Randal and Josh waited at the doors entrance, minutes later they heard shouting, and Sally blinked back.

"Well, what are you waiting for, GO!"

Randal took the lead, Josh was right at his heels. They raced through the hallways. Randal suddenly stopped, he tightly grabbed Josh as several Vampires rushed down the hallways.

"Let me go!" Josh screamed. "I'm not going back there!"

Randal shook him hard, "Quiet you."

One of the Vampires stopped by Randal. "Good you got one," he painted. Randal pulled Josh closer. "Found him running through the corridor. How many loose?" Randal asked.

"Don't know, I don't' know how the cages were opened, but we got dogs loose in the hotel. Mother is going to be pissed!"

Randal shook Josh, "I'll take him back, you look for the others."

Ducking his head, the vampire ran down the hallway. "Just act scared," Randal told Josh as he released him.

"I don't have to act," Josh whispered.

They ran down the dark hallways until they came to the dock. Josh saw Sally sitting in the back of the car, "What took you guys so long?"

Josh jumped into the front, Randal went behind the wheel. Quickly starting the car, he drove out of the dock. Josh looked back, he didn't stop looking until they were blocks away. Pulling his hood off, he lay his head back and let out a sigh of relief.

"I can't believe we did it."

"Took some teamwork," Sally proudly said. Josh sat up straight, Randal was staring ahead, his knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel.

"Thanks," Josh said. "I know this is a big deal for you."

Randal shrugged his shoulders, "Honestly, it was the only way I could think of to be able to play Diablo 3."

Josh laughed, "Randal, when this is all done, I'll buy you the collectors edition."

"Just call him Santa Claus," Sally said with a laugh as Randal pulled the car into a driveway. Before Josh could ask him why he stopped, he noticed something on the dashboard.

"You weren't kidding, you do keep up with the times."

Sitting on the dashboard was a GPS. Randal programmed the device. Josh heard it declare, "Boston Massachusetts to Louisville Kentucky, The route is approximately 973.47 Miles long, it will take 16 hours 43 minutes"

Randal shifted the gears, and backed up out of the driveway. "Mother is known for taking her time, she's legendary. I think if we drive there non-stop, we should be able to get there before her. Get some sleep, it will help you heal quicker. We'll be there tomorrow."

Josh grinned widely, he moved the seat down. Looking to the side he saw a smiling Sally gazing at him. "Thanks," he told her. "For sticking around."

Sally yawned, "It was getting boring at home anyway. This is much more exciting."

Josh closed his eyes, pulling the hood over his head he yawned, "That's been my life since I first met Aidan."


	6. The Carroll

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Six

The Carroll

They reached Louisville mid-morning the next day. The car was sitting in a gas station in the center of town. Randal was filling it with gas. Josh had gone inside to ask for directions. Sally was contemplating whether she should follow Josh when something caught her eye. Across the street was a very large hotel. From the looks of it she could see that it had seen better days. Outside she noticed an elderly man dressed in uniform standing just outside the door. She noticed that he was looking right at her.

She ran across the street to talk to him. "You can see me?" Sally said.

"Course I can, sames as you can see me," he grumped.

"Did you work here when you died?" Sally asked him.

"Used to, until that darn tour bus's brakes broke. I told them it needed fixin'. Damn bus, I didn't want to spend eternity dressed for a job that I hated all my life."

He slapped the suit he was wearing.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Sally said. She really was getting tired of her monotone attire.

The man stuck his hand out, "Names Ronald, Ronald Norris. I was the footman for this here hotel for forty years."

"I'm Sally," she quickly replied with an enthusiastic shake. "Listen, I hope you can help me. Is there anything you can tell me about the Carroll Sanatorium?"

The reaction she received from Ronald was not what she expected. If it was possible, his face grew paler. "Oh now Miss, you don't want to go there."

"Yes I do, a friend of mine is there. Can you tell me anything about it?"

Ronald slowly shook his head, "That's not a good place to go. First off it's the L.G. Carroll Sanatorium. It was built in the twenty's, they used it to treat tuberculosis victims. Back then they didn't have a cure, so they shipped them off to die in that place. Once they found a cure, the old place had to find a new use. They turned it into an insane asylum. But not just anyone would be admitted, most were the criminally insane. Real bad ones I hear. It was in the fifties when something bad happened there. The authorities hid what happened to everyone, not even the papers were allowed in. It's been locked up since."

"When I was alive I always tried to get inside, check out if the stories were true that it was haunted. Now that I'm dead, I wouldn't step twenty miles from it. Terrible things happened there, things that make a spirit angry. You don't want to mess with angry spirits."

"I have go there, Ronald. I need to warn a very close friend that he's in danger."

Ronald clicked his tongue, "Well, if you're dead set on it, then I guess there's no stopping you. Just got to warn you, you won't be alone. The ghost investigators here are about as thick as flies. Some of them meet up here before going out. There's one going there tonight."

Sally kissed the man on the cheek, touched the ghost actually blushed. He pointed to several black vans. "See that group of people carrying around all them electronic doodads. That's them."

Sally skipped away, "Thank you Ronald, I'll let my friends know."

Ronald shook his head, "Fool girl, wouldn't see me there, no sir." Staring at her as she rushed across the street, he sighed, "I hope her guardian angel is watching after her tonight, she'll be needing it."

Chewing on a licorice stick, Josh walked out of the gas station's store. He was unfolding a map he just brought. The GPS was unable to give them directions to the Carroll. After asking the attendant, he was told the location would be on the local maps.

Coming to the car, he leaned on the hood. Randal was washing the windshield. The sun was shinning brightly, his dark sunglasses hid the glare. "Find anything?"

Josh nodded his head. Taking out the licorice he pointed it to a place on the map. "Here it is, just south of Louisville. It's next to a park. The guy in the store said it's a hot spot for ghost investigators."

Sally suddenly appeared next to him. "I heard it was built to treat tuberculosis victims, then it was turned into an insane asylum. It's been closed since the fifties."

"Who told you that?" Josh asked her.

She pointed to the hotel across the street. Josh saw an old man standing in the doorway. He blinked when he saw a luggage cart move through him. The old man angrily kicked the cart. He saw it wiggle, and the man pushing it stare in wonder.

"Best way I know how to get information is from the locals," Randal said. "What did he say about the place?"

Sally hugged her arms around her body, "Short version, Florida is nice this time of year."

"I'm a cloudy type of guy myself," Randal said.

Chewing on his licorice Josh realized that Randal hadn't eaten since they left. "Randal, I…I don't know where you'll find something to eat…I mean."

Randal pointed to a forest that grew behind the gas station. "Out there is where my next meal comes from."

He laughed when he saw a confused look on Josh, that was also mirrored on Sally. "It appears you don't know everything about Vampires. You see in the early days, we drank animal and human blood. It was Mother that changed that once she came into power. She said it was beneath us to drink animal blood. Once you drink human, it's like a drug, you become addicted to it. Animal blood was not a good enough high for Mother."

Randal cleared his throat, "Except an occasional wolf." He quickly added, "I've always followed the old ways. After all, I was a game warden. I can truthfully say that I've never had a drop of human blood. I find an animal, drink what I need and let them live. I can actually last longer without blood than one that drinks human."

"You're right, Randal," Josh said. "I don't know everything about Vampires." He folded up the map, "Let's get going, I want to get there before the sun sets. There can't be anything spookier than a haunted house at night."

Randal opened up the door to the car, "I think Mother runs a close second to that."

Josh jumped into the car, Sally appeared in the back seat. She waved goodbye as they drove by the hotel. Ronald shook his head, "That fool girl got a Vampire and a Werewolf with her. Having them there is like opening a hornets nest." Shaking a foreboding feeling off, he returned to his station.

It was nearly two hours later, one of them driving down bumpy dirt roads when Randal stopped the car. All three looked out the windshield. Josh's mouth fell open. The building that stood in front of them was huge. It stood six stories high, and was nearly two city blocks wide. Even from this distance he could see every window was broken out, it was the largest building he had ever seen. What made Josh's mouth drop was a coldness he felt looking at the building, the intense deadness of it.

"You feeling what I'm feeling?" he whispered, as if afraid something inside would shoot out and grab him.

Sally shivered, "I hope it's worse on the outside. 'Cause that scares the pants off of me."

"I guess this could be a good thing," Josh said.

"And how is the feeling of doom a good thing?" Sally asked him.

"If we're afraid of it, Mother's goon squad should be too."

Shifting the car into drive Randal slowly drove towards the Sanatorium. The first thing he noticed as he got closer was that they were not alone.

"Oh great, we got company, that's the ghost investigators," Sally said.

They could see three dark vans parked in front of the Carroll. Several people were unpacking electronic equipment.

"This is not good," Josh said. "They're going to be easy pickings for the Vampires searching for Aidan."

Randal drove his car to the rear of the Carroll, "Well let's hope we find him before they get here."

Randal parked the car behind the Carroll. They slowly walked towards a small docking area. Randal stopped just short of the doors. "Think I found what I need," he said. Sitting next to the doors were stacks of rotting wooden skids. Randal picked a broken board up. Pulling out a large knife, he began to whittle the stick into a stake.

"You go ahead, I'll catch up."

Josh and Sally slowly walked into the Carroll. Stopping a few feet inside, Josh shivered. "You were wrong, Sally, it's worse inside."

Josh never felt so hopeless, and so cold. He could swear the temperature dropped twenty degrees from outside. A freezing breeze flowed past him.

"Really wish I was right about that," Sally said in a hushed voice.

Josh quietly walked through the room. It was filled with wooden crates. Coming to double doors they stepped into a huge empty room. Sally suddenly stopped.

"Josh, I think I feel Aidan. He's in here, I can feel him."

"Is he close by? Sally, can you get to him, let him know we're here?"

Sally slowly nodded her head, "I can try."

In an instant she was gone. Josh suddenly realized that he was alone, alone in a haunted Sanatorium. Nervously looking around, he made his way to a door to his right. He stopped when he saw a bright light coming towards him. Hearing a breathy sigh, the light flew to him. He backed up until he saw the light slowly change into a young woman. Her skin was dark ebony, she was dressed in a hospital gown. Her face was gaunt looking.

"You," she sighed. "You can see me." She moved around him, looking at him up and down. "What are you? You're not one of those silly humans who come here and try to talk to us. How is it that you can see me?"

Josh stared at the ground, "I…I'm a werewolf, we can see the dead."

"Ohhhh," the girl moaned. She began to nervously tug on her long pigtails. "My Great Grandma, she told me about them. She used to sing a song to me about the wolves." She spun around, singing in a girlish voice,

_"Night has come, and so have we._

_ Hide your young, run and flee._

_ Look for the sign, it spells your doom._

_ The sign will be, Blood on the Moon."_

Lydia could see she had frightened Josh. "I'm so sorry I scared you, but then again I'm not. Because you can seeee meeee." She danced throughout the room on her bare feet. "You can see Lydia, you can see me! You don't know what it is like to not be seen." Stopping she said in a crazed voice, "By something alive."

She continued to dance, "Oh, the others will be so happy."

Josh gulped hard, "Others, what others?"

Lydia rushed to him. Josh jerked back as she stood right in front of him. "Oh, you must be careful, have to warn you. Some of the others are not as nice as me. Some of them…well some of them carry with them so much anger, so much hate." She began to squat down. Her arms wrapped around her legs and she rocked back and forth.

She madly sang, _"Carroll, Carroll you are so very dear. And when we die, you keep our souls in here. Carroll, Carroll, you are so very dear." _

Josh slowly began to back away. "I'll leave you now, Lydia. I'm just looking for a friend that's in here, the living kind, we'll undead kind."

Josh quickly turned around, Lydia popped up in front of him. "Oh!" Lydia said. "Are you talking about Aidan?" Her eyes squinted as she studied him. "Wait, those eyes. Aidan said you'd have the saddest eyes. Is your name, Josh?"

Josh's fear for this spirit faded with the hope of finding Aidan. "Aidan, do you know where he is?"

"Then you're the Josh he's been talking about," Lydia said with a happy laugh. "He said you were his best friend. I was happy for him, he always had so few good friends here."

She skipped around Josh, singing, "_Making friends is hard to do, I'd rather just skip to my lou…skip, skip, skip to my lou…."_

Josh stood in front of her, blocking her. "Lydia, please can you tell me where Aidan is hiding?'

Lydia pointed up, "Course I can silly wolf, he's on the third floor. Miss Stecker is taking care of him." Josh actually saw the spirit blush, "When she was alive, they were an item. After she died, well I ain't suppose to talk about it." She pointed up, "You can find him there."

Josh nearly jumped out of his skin as a loud bang echoed in the room. Lydia softly giggled, "Oh, that's Donny, he doesn't like company. He makes them noises to scare off those ghost investigators."

Leaning closer to him, she whispered, "You don't want to mess with Donny. He's got a lot of anger inside, deep down anger. Don't want to get him any angrier."

Grinning, she spun around, "I'll be seeing you then. Don't forget he's on the third floor. Oh he is going to be so happy to see you." She spun around singing _'Carroll, Carroll you are so very dear,'_ over and over until she moved right through the walls. Josh let out a heavy sigh. That didn't go to bad, he thought, now all he had to do was…he let out a scream when something touched him on the shoulder. Spinning around he saw Randal standing behind him.

"Sorry," Randal said, with a sheepish grin.

"Don't do that," Josh scolded him. "I don't have an extra pair of underwear." He could see the bandoleer that Randal wore was now filled with wooden stakes. One of them was loaded in Randal's crossbow.

Randal searched the room, "Where's Sally?"

"She said she could feel Aidan, she went to look for him. I did take your advice."

"What was that?"

"I spoke to a local. She said that Aidan is on the third floor." Josh gestured to an open door, "We need to find a way up, after you."

Hefting his crossbow, Randal walked towards the open door. Taking one last look for any sign of Lydia, Josh followed him.


	7. Repeaters

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Seven

Repeaters

Once Sally left Josh, her thoughts were fully focused on Aidan. She appeared in a large room. An entire wall was covered with windows, all of them broken. Tattered curtains drifted in the wind. She could feel Aidan was near by. "Aidan!" she shouted. "It's me, Sally. We need to talk to you, Mother is coming."

She jerked when she heard the sound of people coughing and wheezing, lots of people. Walking to the window, she looked out. She was shocked to see hundreds of broken bed frames sitting on an open porch. She saw three, four people laying on the same bed, they were blended together. Some of them were struggling to breathe. Most were coughing. She moved through the wall, and stood at one bedside. She saw a man and a woman lying on the same bed. Their eyes were so hollow, so empty. Each breath they took was a battle.

"Are you all right?" Sally asked them, but they did not answer her.

"They can't hear you," Sally heard a familiar voice say. She spun around. She was never so happy to see Aidan standing in a doorway. She ran to him, she wanted to hug him, but knew that her smile was enough to let him know how thankful she was to see him.

"Aidan, I'm so glad we found you." He looked very pale to her. His eyes were rimmed in red. His face was thin and gaunt. She had no idea when was the last time he drank blood.

"Sally, what are you doing here?" Aidan asked her. "How did you find me?"

"Josh said you'd be here. We had to come and warn you, Suren came back. Mother is really pissed, she's coming for you. You need to get out of here."

"I know about Suren," Aidan softly said, he looked behind her, "We? Josh is here too? No, he can't be here."

Sally pointed to the beds. "Why, are they going to hurt him?"

Aidan shook his head. "You don't have to worry about them, they're not really here. I call them, repeaters. When they died they walked through their doors, but they were in so much pain, so much agony before their deaths, a small piece of them was left behind. That small piece will forever repeat the most horrible time in their lives."

Sally could actually feel the pain they were in. "Aidan, you have to get out of here before Mother arrives."

"No, Sally. I'm not leaving. Don't worry about me, I'm safe here, you have to go, and let Josh know the trip was for nothing."

He quickly spun around and walked into the Sanatorium. Sally briskly followed him. "GOD!" Sally shouted. "MEN, the two of you are so stubborn. Why don't you ever listen to me? Josh was ready to sacrifice himself and stay trapped in that hole in the ground, and now you want to stay in this god forsaken place. If I was smart I'd say the hell with the both of you and go back to watching TV and ignoring Scott."

"Wait, what hole in the ground was Josh trapped in?"

Sally angrily crossed her arms. "Now you care?"

Aidan took in a deep breath, "Sally, I'm listening, where was Josh trapped?"

Sally quickly told Aidan what had been happening to her and Josh the past few weeks. She made sure to tell him why Josh was taken.

Aidan couldn't believe what he was hearing. All those years, everyone was so frightened of Mother. And to think it was only because she drank wolf blood. The memory of the high he felt when he drank Josh's blood still remained with him. At that moment, as his blood lingered on his lips, he never felt stronger, more alive. That was before the blood turned deadly. Now he knew why he reacted so violently. He just needed to drink him at the right time.

"Where is Josh now?"

"He's downstairs, but you don't have to worry," Sally said with a laugh. "He's with Randal."

Sally never thought she'd see Aidan look so frightened. "Randal," he gasped. "I just can't believe he helped you escape. He's Mother's right hand man. He's not here to help you, he's here to find me for Mother."

"No, Aidan he's not like that. He helped us escape from the hotel. He came with us, to help us find you."

"I don't know what game Randal is playing, but first things first. Listen Sally, this is a very dangerous place. Josh can't be here, he can see them, the ghosts in the sanatorium. They'll be drawn to him like a moth to a flame." Aidan stared ahead. "But before we go, we have to stop someplace first, I need to say goodbye."

"Goodbye, goodbye to who, Aidan?" Sally asked him.

She followed Aidan as he walked briskly down hallways, and through large rooms. She had no idea where they were going, but she trusted Aidan, she had no choice.

Minutes later they came to a closed door. Aidan hesitated opening it. Looking at Sally, he whispered, "I need to say goodbye to an old friend." Opening the door, he entered the room.

As Sally walked into the room, she felt as if she stepped back in time. The room was in perfect condition. A table, and small couch stood in the room. A large radio sat in one corner. Sitting on a chair was a young woman. As soon as Aidan entered the room, she gently smiled at him.

"Aidan, you look concerned." She immediately noticed Sally. "I see we have company. You're Aidan's Sally, aren't you." She was dressed in a blue gingham dress, with a white pinafore.

Sally turned to Aidan, "How does she know my name? Who is she?"

Aidan sadly looked at the woman, "Her name is June, June Stecker. She used to work here, she's an old friend of mine."

Aidan's thoughts turned back to over Sixty years ago, when he worked in the Sanatorium. His job was to look after the patients. But he had a different reason for working there, the blood.

Each night when he was supposed to guard the patients, he would visit them. He made sure to drink from the most insane ones. He knew no one would believe their stories of a monster that attacked them during night. It was the perfect job for a hungry Vampire.

It was a period in Aidan's life when he thought that a humans sole existence was to feed him. But there was a night that something happened., something horrible. A night that changed him just a bit, on how he thought of humans. It stayed in his thoughts, grew larger with each passing decade, until the fateful day he saw a werewolf being beaten in a back alley.

Sighing heavily, Aidan stepped up to June, he squatted down in front of her. "June, things have changed, my friend Josh is here."

June nervously bit her bottom lip, "He's the one you said is a werewolf?"

"Yes, he came here to warn me that Mother is on her way. I need to go to the lower floors, to find him, June."

June quickly stood up. "No Aidan, I can't protect you if you leave this room."

"I know, but this is Josh, he's my friend. He came all this way to warn me. I have to go to him. I came here to let you know that when I find him, I'm leaving the sanatorium."

June's benign look changed into anger. "You can't go, if you do they'll kill you. SHE will kill you."

Aidan gently smiled at her. "I'm thankful for all that you've done for me, but I'm sorry, I have to go. Josh is my best friend. He risked his life coming here to warn me about Mother. And you know I can't leave him to Donny and his crew."

Letting out a resigned sigh, June nodded her head. "I know, that this Aidan can't." Her hand reached out and gently touched his chest. "But that does not lessen the pain of you leaving me, again."

Sally saw a pained look on Aidan's face with her words. She then noticed a red stain suddenly appear on June's white pinafore. It ran down to her stockings. Looking hurt she sighed, "You're always leaving me." She slowly backed up until she moved through the walls.

It was nearly a minute later that Aidan finally turned and faced Sally. "We need to find Josh, where did you leave him?"

Sally pointed down, "We were in a room just off of the dock. I can go and…"

"NO!" Aidan shouted. "It's too dangerous out there, Sally. You're lucky Donny didn't notice you when you entered the Sanatorium. I'm sure you're on his radar by now. He's got eyes and ears everywhere."

"Who's this Donny you keep talking about?" she asked him.

"He's the reason why I told Josh this place is the Hannibal Lector of Haunted houses." He opened the door to the room. "Let's go."

He rushed out of the room, and down the hallway. Following him, Sally really had no idea where she was. "How long is it going to take for us to get there, what floor are we on?"

"The forth, but we have to be careful to get past the third floor, that's a place we don't want to be."

"Why not?" Sally asked him.

"It's the floor where they kept the most dangerous, most insane patients. It's Donny's floor. Let's hurry, I don't want Josh alone with that Vampire any longer."

Josh searched ahead of Randal. They were looking for stairs that led to the upper floors. Moving through the large rooms they found that some were empty, and some were filled with broken hospital beds and equipment. In one room Josh saw a young man sitting on a broken wheelchair. He was coughing violently. After each cough he took in a deep breath. His hoarse voice droned, "Water, please give me water."

Josh could see his body was thin and frail looking. He was dressed in the hospital gown he wore when he died.

"Are you all right?" Josh gently asked him. "Do you want some water?"

The young man stared right through him, doing the same thing over and over. Coughing, then begging for water. "It's like a broken record," Josh said. "I don't think he's actually there."

Randal passed his hand through the young man. It felt as if he was moving through an icy fog. "I heard about this. Sometimes when someone hurts long enough, if the pain is bad enough, it's left behind when they go thorough their doors."

Josh swallowed hard, his voice was thick with emotion, "Poor man, I can't imagine how long he must have sat in that chair, begging for water."

"You can't help him, Josh. Let's go," Randal insisted. "We need to find those stairs."

As they left the room, Lydia stepped out from the wall. Her dark eyes stared at the retreating Josh. She then looked at the man in the chair. She walked up to him softly singing,_ "And when we die, you keep our souls in here." _

She stopped in front of the ghost in the chair. Suddenly she violently kicked the wheelchair over. "He cared for you, wanted to help you." The young man now sat on nothing, his coughing and begging for water echoed in the room.

Lydia scratched her head in confusion. "No one cared for me like that when I was alive, or dead…no one." Sighing, she quietly followed Josh and Randal.


	8. An Angel of the Unwanted Kind

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Eight

An Angel of the Unwanted Kind

"Over there," Randal whispered to Josh. After ten minutes of searching, they finally found a staircase leading up. Coming to the foot of the stairs, they could see the top blanketed in total darkness.

Josh began fishing in his backpack, he pulled out a flashlight. He winked at Randal, "Got this back at the gas station." Clicking it on, he showed its light up the stairs. The steps were made of concrete. They could see it started crumbling years ago, deep holes were dotted in the steps. Tightly gripping the flashlight, Josh led them up the stairs. Coming to the second floor they could see it was in as bad shape as the first. This floor was a giant open ward. Walls used for privacy was riddled with holes years ago, graffiti was sprawled everywhere.

"Guess taggers aren't afraid of ghosts," Josh said.

Josh heard a flapping sound, spinning around he ducked when something flew towards him. Randal pulled him to the side. He grinned widely at him, "That was a very large owl."

Josh saw the bird flapping down a long hallway. The hallway was so long he could not see the end.

Randal squatted on the ground. Dragging his hand on the floor, he picked something up. "Rat droppings," he said. "Pretty large too. This place has been empty a long time, lots of animals moved in. Large rats makes well-fed and very large owls." He heavily sighed, "Really miss being a warden. Animals are wonderful creatures."

Standing, Randal clapped his hands clean of the dirt. "We need to find the stairs for the third floor."

Splitting up, they searched the floor. Hearing something fall, Josh looked in the direction the noise came from. He could see someone walking away.

"Lydia, is that you?" Josh whispered.

He saw the figure turn a corner and disappear. Rushing to it, he whirled around the corner. He let out a sigh of relief when his flashlight showed stairs leading up.

"Found them," he shouted to Randal.

The steps went up to a landing and then turned to the right. Climbing up two steps at a time they were surprised to see a metal gate at the top of the stairs. It hung loosely, connected by only one hinge. Stepping up to the third floor they immediately saw that this floor was different, very different

Most of the windows were bricked up. A long hallway ran from one side of the floor to the other. Opposite of the stairs there were many rooms. Their thick steel doors were all tightly shut. With no electricity, they would be walking in total darkness.

"Guess this is a good place for Aidan to hide," Randal said. "Where do we start?"

"Sally," Josh said. "She's got to be here somewhere. She can tell us where he is." Josh called for Sally. Hearing voices from behind, he stopped calling. Randal quickly pulled Josh through double doors. They found themselves standing in a large ward. Dusty tables and chairs were piled up in one corner.

Spinning around, Josh turned his flashlight off. Randal opened one of the doors just a crack. They saw several people walking up the stairs. They were holding cameras and tape recorders in their hands. A large man hefted a heavy camera on his shoulders. A bright light on top of the camera scanned the room. There were two women and four men in the group.

"They must be the ghost investigators," Josh whispered.

"They have a camera, Vampires can't be filmed," Randal said.

"Lucky you," Josh whispered. He worriedly looked at the ghost investigators. "We need to warn them to leave this place before Mother gets here."

Randal slowly began to close the door, "We can't bother with them. We should concentrate on finding Aidan." He began to walk towards a door on the opposite side of the room.

"Sorry, Randal," Josh whispered. "I've got to try something."

Before Randal could stop him, Josh rushed out of the room.

Josh knew he could not live with himself if he didn't try to warn the humans that they needed to go. He didn't know how he was going to do it, just knew he had to try. He quickly walked towards the group of people. "Hello," he called out.

An elderly man quickly walked up to Josh. "There you are, I'm Chester Stubbs and this is my investigation." he barked. "We were supposed to have the place to ourselves."

The man with the camera spun it around and pointed it at Josh. Chester angrily spoke into an I-pad he held in his hands.

"Bill, this the guy you saw on the monitors?"

Josh heard a voice on the I-pad speaker reply, "Yeah, I saw him walking on the second floor. I didn't see anyone else with him." On the I-Pad Josh could see a recording of him walking alone.

It was then that Josh noticed a small camera's positioned on a table. He realized that the I-Pad was connected to the camera's placed in the building.

"Okay buddy," Chester said. "Who the hell are you?"

"Sorry," Josh said. "I'm Josh, I'm here on my own."

Chester suspiciously eyed Josh. "You don't have any equipment on you, you one of them psychics?"

Josh nodded his head, a knowing smile slowly blossomed on his face. "Yes, that's what I am, I'm a psychic. I can see and speak to spirits, and I came here to warn you that they are not happy with you being here."

"Yeah, right," a woman with long brown hair scoffed. "I don't believe in psychics."

This peaked Josh's curiosity. "You believe in ghosts, but not psychics?"

The woman proudly held her head up high, "I'm a debunker."

Josh would have loved to debate her, if not for the sudden appearance of a ghost. This one was not the broken-record kind. His dark eyes stared right at Josh.

"Hey Chester, my K2 is giving out high EMF ratings," a young man called out. Sporting a raggy baseball cap he tapped the meter.

Chester ran back to him. "What you got, Keith?"

Keith carefully examined the device he carried. "A reading of eight, maybe he is psychic, never got a reading that high. Can't be electricity, there is none here."

"Yes, someone is hereeee," Josh said in a haunted voice. The cameraman moved closer to him. Feeling uneasy being filmed, he quickly turned his back to the camera. "He's right over…" Josh choked back on his words when he saw another male spirit step into the room, then a female. In seconds there were twenty ghosts moving towards them. They were all dressed different from the man Josh saw downstairs. They were not wearing the hospital gowns. They wore dresses, pants and shirts. They stopped close to the ghost investigators. Mingling around them, they quietly stared at Josh.

"Guys," Josh heard Bill say from Chester's I-Pad. "I'm getting some strange things on my monitors."

"What kind of things?" Chester looked at his I-Pad.

"Look, ten, no twenty columns of mist, all floating around you. This is great!" Bill screamed. Chester could see twenty columns of mist floating around them.

Josh knew he didn't have much time before Mother and her entourage showed up. He had to find a way to get the humans out of here as quickly as possible. He shouted with a clap of his hands. "Hey, I can do a sitting for you guys downstairs. I guarantee that I'll make that meter sing."

"I don't know," Chester said. "We just met you. How do we know we can trust you?"

Josh saw one of the spirits step up to Keith. His finger reach down and tapped the meter. A high pitch squeak blasted out of the device. Keith dropped it on the floor.

"Son of a bitch," Keith gasped, as he picked it up. "It's never done that before."

"Ohhh," Josh wailed. He placed his hands on his forehead. "I'm getting spirits that are very close by, angry spirits. They want you to leave."

"Where are they?" they all excitedly said. They pulled out several devices, each one wore an expression of joy.

Josh angrily crossed his arms, "Really?" He had no idea what he needed to do to scare them out of the sanatorium. Then he felt it, the room suddenly grew very cold. He saw a large man walk into the room. His head was shaven, Josh could just make out tattoos of wing tips on his arms. The spirits in the room quickly moved out of his way. He stopped just in front of Josh. Josh took a step back. The large ghost carefully studied Josh, he looked at him up and down. Josh actually felt soiled from his gaze. A sick smile cracked the ghost's lips.

He didn't know when he got there, but suddenly Josh saw Randal standing next to him. He stood protectively by his side.

"Who's this guy?" Chester asked Josh. "Another psychic?"

Before Josh could answer, he saw Lydia skip into the room. She danced around the ghost investigators, touching their devices. They gasped in joy as their equipment reacted to her touch.

"Damn, a nine!" Keith shouted.

"I got a drop in temperature," the debunker said, with a giggle. "Ten, no fifteen degrees."

Lydia danced to the large man, her head lay on his arm.

"See Donny," Lydia sighed. "There he is, just as I told's you, a cute puppy dog." Lydia smiled at Josh, "This is Donny. Sorry I lied, Aidan isn't on this floor, just my boyfriend."

Donny violently lashed out, slapping Lydia away. Josh saw a spark as his blow landed on her, she flew towards a wall, knocking over a chair on the way. Landing in a corner, she crawled up into a ball, "You can hit me all you want," she whined. "I ain't going nowhere."

All the ghost investigators rushed over to the fallen chair. "Phil, please tell me you got that," Chester told the cameraman.

"Sorry, it was to quick," Phil said.

"I keep tellin' you to stop calling me that," Donny snarled at Lydia. He slowly looked at Randal. His eyes squinted in anger, "You're a Vampire, like Aidan." Cracking his knuckles he said, "I've always hated your kind, think you got a monopoly on killing."

His attention turned back to Josh. "But I like doggies." He made a kissing sound. "Here little doggie, you come here to play with Donny?"

Josh was now getting angry, first Vampires and now ghosts. He really hated how much disrespect Werewolf's received in the spiritual world.  
>"Holy crap," Keith said. "My meter's going off the scale, we've never seen that before."<p>

"Must be, Donny," Josh mumbled.

"Donny?" Chester said. He rushed back to where Josh was standing. He could see Josh's eyes seemed to be focused on someone in front of him, someone that was not there. Chester raised his meter and scanned it up and down. "You saying you see Donny Muerte?"

"Ahh," Donny sighed, "He knows me." Donny raised his hands up, gripping them as if in prayer, Josh saw the full extent of his tattoos'. When his arms touched he saw a pair of black wings. "My wings of death will carry you all to hell," he growled.

"Bald headed," Josh quickly said. "Wing tattoos, got a death and hell thing going?"

"That's what they said he looked like," Chester said.

"Is he dangerous?" Josh quickly asked him.

"The craziest, most insane killer in the Sanatorium," Chester said.

"The world," Donny rumbled.

"He was one of the biggest mass murderers of his time," Keith explained. "He said he was the Angel of death. That he was born to cleanse the world of evil, well his idea of evil. He was all over the block with his killings. Men, women, children, killed them all different ways. Then he always took a trophy with him…" Keith gulped hard. "And ate it, they charged him with over eighty murders, but I heard that he said they were just hitting the tip of his iceberg."

Donny chuckled, "Good times, good eats. I don't even know how many I cleansed."

"Can you really talk to him?" Chester asked Josh.

"Not willingly," Josh muttered.

Donny smiled at Josh, "Oh, if I was alive, I would enjoy cleansing you. A werewolf, never got a hold of one when I was alive. Can't imagine how long it would take for me to cleanse the evil from you. Can't imagine what you would taste like. I never had wolf."

"Then I guess it's good that you're dead," Josh said.

"That's about to change, Rover. You see, I just found out something, something very special."

Donny moved back, he stopped next to Phil, the large cameraman. "Lydia, she does love me." He looked at her, sitting in the corner, rocking back and forth. "Most think she's innocent, but I know better. She's always trying to please me. Listening here, listening there. Telling me what she heard."

Donny pointed up, "Lydia was listening in on our special guest on the forth floor. She heard him talking to June. He told her about a ghost friend he has, that's had a lot of trouble lately. She done things that we never knew was possible, until now. I heard she goes by the name of…" he smiled at Josh as he breathed, "Sally."


	9. Mr Popularity

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Nine

Mr. Popularity

Donny moved to stand behind the cameraman. Josh grabbed Randal's arm, he immediately knew what was about to happen. "Get ready to run," Josh softly hissed to Randal.

Donny continued talking to Josh. "She said she heard him tell June about poor Sally's problem." Six ghosts stood behind the ghost investigators. "You know, one mans garbage is another man's heaven," Donny sighed. "What's bad for Sally, well…"

Donny shoved his hands into the cameraman. Josh quickly grabbed the I-Pad from Chester's hands just as Donny yelled, "NOW!"

Josh and Randal spun around and ran down the hallway. Randal bent down and picked up his crossbow and bandoleer sitting on a broken table.

"Forgot about that," Josh panted.

"Didn't want to scare them," Randal huffed, as he pulled on the bandoleer. Looking back to make sure no one followed them, they quickly sprinted down the hallways as Donny and the other ghosts stepped into the ghost investigators. In seconds they possessed the investigators.

Josh sprinted down the dark hallway. He heard someone howl like a wolf, and call his name. He stared into the I-Pad.

"Bill," he shouted. "If you're listening, get out of here, NOW! And take whoever is with you. You're in danger, everyone here is in dang…" he yipped when Randal grabbed his arm.

"You're killing me," Randal said, "we don't have time." He pulled Josh down the hallway. Josh quickly tucked the I-Pad in his backpack. They didn't stop running until they reached the end of a long hallway. Spinning around Josh looked back. Panting hard, he searched for some way off this floor.

"What the hell happened back there?" Randal panted.

"Sally," Josh gasped, as he tried to catch his breath. "Her little problem was possessing humans. Thanks to Lydia, Donny now knows that he can do it too."

"Great," Randal growled. "Now we have them to worry about, as well as Mother."

Josh looked back. "I did all I could to help them." Shaking it off he said, "We still need to find Aidan."

Searching around, Randal spotted something. He pulled Josh towards an open window. "Our way out," he told Josh. Poking his head through the window, Josh looked up. He saw a metal fire escape.  
>"Think it will hold us?" Josh asked him.<p>

Randal pulled Josh back. "Let me go first, I've already died."

"Yeah, but if you fall I'm left here alone with 'Mr. Clean'."

Randal was about to step out when he heard something on the fire escape. Stepping back Randal's eyes turned black. He shoved Josh behind him, his teeth clicked out. Stooping down he was about to lunge at whatever was coming down the fire escape. Josh moved to stand next to Randal. He had come this far, he wasn't going to stand back and let Randal fight his battles alone. Standing by his side, he slowly pulled out one of the stakes in Randal's bandoleer.

They heard a groaning sound, then they rushed forward.

Once Donny possessed the human, he dropped the camera he was holding. Donny fisted his hands. "Yeah!" he growled. "This body feels good, real good."

"Run away doggie!" Randal shouted. He howled like a wolf. "Yeah, you should be afraid of me, Josh. You should be. I am the Angel of death. I have risen and I will continue my quest!"

Lydia slowly drifted towards Donny. She sadly frowned. "You didn't leave any for me," she whined.

Donny ignored her. For the first time, in a long time, he could feel again. He had a second chance. He could start all over again. The beauty of it was if he was caught, all he had to do was find another body. "Thank you Aidan, you gave me a chance to resume my cleansing." Looking around he spied one of the camera's set up in the room. Grinning up at the camera he whispered, "Time to take this baby out for a ride and see how she does."

Josh and Randal rushed towards the window as soon as they saw a shadow jump down on the landing of the fire escape. As they ran towards it, something caught Josh's attention. Tomorrow was a full moon, already his senses were becoming more acute. He immediately recognized a familiar scent. He quickly rammed his shoulder into Randal, pushing him to the side, shouting, "Randal, don't it's Aidan."

Slamming into the wall Randal faintly saw a dark figure squatting on the fire escape. As soon as Aidan heard Josh shout, he jumped through the window. His eyes were pitch black, he hissed at Randal, Randal hissed back. Josh jumped between them.

"Guys, as much as I appreciate this, and as strangely sexy as it feels having two vampires fighting for my honor," Josh said. "Really don't have time for this."

"You can't trust him, Josh," Aidan hissed. "He's been Mother's right hand man for as long as anyone can remember."

Randal stood his ground, he was never one to back down from a fight.

Josh faced Aidan, he wanted to argue with him but he was immediately concerned with how pale and sickly he looked. "Aidan," Josh said with a gentle voice. "Randal took a big risk helping me escape. I trust him Aidan, as much as I trust you."

Aidan looked behind Josh, he was surprised to see that Randal was actually protecting Josh.

"Look, we've got other problems," Josh said, he worriedly looked behind him. "We don't have time for the unabridged version, so here's the CliffNotes: Kidnapped, became Mother's new Energy Drink. Just call me Red Wolf. Mother on her way here, Breakout, Break-in, homicidal ghosts, and possessed ghost hunters."

Seeing a shocked look on Aidan's face, Josh said, "Yes, that's right, Mr. Angel of Death is now wearing the latest fashion accessory, Ghost hunter." Josh pointed to himself, "And lucky me, I just made it to the top of his hit list. Now that you're up to date, we need to find a place for us to hide until we can figure out how to get out of here in one piece."

Aidan angrily eyed Randal, he was still not convinced ,but for now he would trust Josh. "I may have a place, but I still don't trust him."

Josh nervously looked back, "Can we debate this at a later time, a hundred miles from here would be nice. But I'll take what you can give me."

Grabbing the window sill, Aidan pointed down. "They took down the last floor of the fire escape to keep people from climbing into the building. We're going up."

Aidan led them up the fire escape. Coming to the top, they scrambled up to the roof of the building. Josh sighed in relief when he saw Sally suddenly appear. Her face glowed in joy as she saw Josh and Aidan together.

"You found him, one problem solved," Sally said,

"And now we have a new one," Josh said. "The ghost investigators just got pwned big time by the ghost's in the sanatorium."

"I don't know how he found out how to do that," Aidan said.

"I do," Josh said. "A ghost named Lydia. He said she told him everything about Sally."

"Damn," Aidan hissed. "She must have been listening to us."

"I'm guessing this is not a good thing," Sally said.

"That's a big yes," Aidan said. "Donny Muerte considered it his personal quest to rid the world of what in his mind was evil. He called himself, The Angel of Death. His killing spree was only stopped by his death. Now that he's wearing someone, he's going to start his 'cleansing' rampage again."

"Yeah," Josh nervously began to bite his nails. "And apparently I'm on another, to do list." Looking up he sighed, "Why am I suddenly so popular?"

"Damn it, Josh," Aidan cursed. "Why the hell did you come here? Once you got out of that hell hole, you should have kept running."

"Excuse me, but Sally and I came here to warn you about Mother," Josh countered. "Running away was never an option."

"Besides, Mother threatened Josh's family," Sally said. "You're the only one we know of that could possibly stop her."

Aidan angrily shook his head, "I never should have told you about this place. You never listen, I told you I didn't want you involved."

"Well I had no choice, did I?" Josh shot back. "I didn't ask to be kidnapped. And believe me, becoming Mother's evening cocktail was not something I wanted on my resume."

"I hate to break up this touching reunion," Randal shouted. "But our expected company has arrived." He was standing at the edge of the building. They all ran to him. Looking down they saw five cars and a van pulling up to the front of the building. The doors flew open and several men were piling out of the cars.

"Think they're of the ghost investigator variety?" Josh hopefully squeaked.

They saw a young man running out of the building. Two of the men that exited a car was immediately on him. Josh turned away as the young man was covered by the Vampires. "Sorry, Bill," he whispered. "I tried to warn you."

Sally sadly looked at the vampires feasting. "God, I really wish one of us would be right just one time."


	10. And The Party Just Got Bigger

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Ten

And The Party Just Got Bigger

Josh could see Aidan hungrily looking at the two vampires feeding below. There was a deep weakness in his eyes. An all to familiar weakness. "Aidan, when's the last time you fed?"

"I'm fine," he angrily snapped back. "I'll be…" he choked on his words as his greatest fear was realized. Exiting one of the cars was Mother herself. "I can't believe she's actually here."

Randal hefted his crossbow. "Oh she's here all right. The longer you stayed hidden, the worse you made her look. The only way she's saving face, is to find you herself."

"Now that she's here," Josh said. "We need to come up with a plan to stop her."

Aidan grabbed Josh's arm, "You don't have a plan?"

"Well excuse me, but finding you and warning you about Mother was the only plan. Really hadn't thought past what happens after that."

"Are you sure they're friends?" Randal asked Sally. "All they've done since they've met is argue."

Sally secretly smiled, "Oh yes, can't you tell. Only a true friend will beat themselves up over what's happened. Aidan isn't yelling at Josh." She walked between them. She looked into Aidan's eyes. "He's yelling at himself for getting us into this mess."

She then looked at Josh, "And Josh, well he knows that the mess happened because Aidan choose to be his friend." Looking back at Randal she said, "And how do I know, because I did the same thing to them. And yet, they fought to bring me back when I fell off the earth." Grinning at both of them she said, "That's what friends do. You can rely on them to tell you the truth, even when you don't want to hear it. And to stick by you, no matter how crazy or insane you get. In a hundred years, I could never pay them back for what they did for me."

Aidan and Josh took in a deep breath. They knew Sally was right, they were angry with themselves, and was taking it out on each other.

"Look," Aidan said. "When I left Boston with Suren, I did it to protect you, and Sally."

"I know," Josh softly sighed.

Aidan's head hung low, "I really thought I could make a life for us."

Josh placed a consoling hand on Aidan's shoulder, "She made her own choice, Aidan. Mother has a very strong influence on her."

"I know," he heavily sighed. "She's always had to have her way. Her anger, her hate is just so…"

Laughing, Josh pointed to himself, "Hey, preaching to the choir here."

"Now I see it," Randal said.

Looking at Randal, Josh got an idea. "Bowazon, can you hit Mother from up here with that thing?" he pointed to the crossbow.

Randal hefted the crossbow up against his shoulder. He aimed it down, after a few seconds he shook his head. "She's surrounded by to many Vampires. I can't get a clear shot. But I can cull them a bit."

Randal aimed his crossbow at a young vampire standing off to the side. "And the winner is Bert. This is for all the times you teased my wolfs, Bert." Squeezing the trigger the wooden bolt was released. It quietly flew down, imbedding in Bert's chest. Grabbing the stake, he gasped in pain. Falling to the ground he instantly turned to dust. It was so quick, the other vampires never noticed their fallen comrade.

"That got you a level up, Randal," Josh said with a whoop. "Now you just need to do that…" he began counting the vampires. "Twenty nine more times."

Randal glanced at his bandoleer. "Sorry, I only made ten bolts, including the one I just shot."

"This place is huge," Sally said. "I'm sure we can elude them long enough to pick them off."

"Yeah, but for how long?" Aidan said.

"We only need to do it for a day," Josh said. He looked at his companions. "Don't you see, tomorrow is a full moon. If we can hide long enough from Mother, I can wolf out tomorrow night. Aidan can drink my blood during the change."

Aidan shook his head. "It's not going to work, she's still Mother in the Vampire world's eyes. She's our leader, the strongest vampire, she's our Mother."

"Aidan, Randal told me that in her time Mother was the weakest Vampire. You're one of the strongest vampires, NOW. If you drink my blood, you'll become more powerful than her. You can take her Aidan, you can finally end her rule."

"There's that plan we've been looking for," Sally said. "I say we go for it."

Aidan glanced down, he was not surprised to see Mother looking up. She knew he was up there somewhere, she could feel him. Stepping back, he searched the roof. "The one advantage I can see is that I know this place inside and out."

"Well?" Josh asked him.

"Okay, let's do this," Aidan said.

"There's just one thing you all forgot about," Randal said. "The Pwned Ghost Hunters."

Josh slapped his palm on his forehead, then his eyes lit up, "Wait, they're not just our problem, they're Mother's now too."

Aidan grinned widely, "Donny never liked me. That hate may go to all Vampires. Let's hope he gives her a warm reception. Come on let's go. As Sally said, this place is huge, I'm sure we can avoid them for at least a day."

"Then you're on board with the drinking thing?" Josh hopefully asked him.

"Standing on the undecided side, for now."

"Good," Josh said. "At least you didn't say no."

"This way," Aidan led them away from the fire escape.

Randal took one last look over the edge. He saw the vampires walking into the sanatorium. Hefting his crossbow he jogged to join the others. Josh saw a large grin on Randal's face. Questioning him, Randal replied.

"What's better than a video game?" he raised his crossbow, "Ain't nothing can beat live."

"We won't have _Tyrael__ at the end_ to save us."

"Yeah we do," he pointed to Aidan.

Josh grinned, because he knew he was right, "Yes, we do."

They all soon realized that having Aidan with them gave them a huge advantage. He knew this building so well, he would be able to move through it in the dark.

"Watch it here," Aidan told the others. They were still on the roof. The building was in three sections. The main building, and two smaller sections on each side. They were currently at the end of the center section. The third section on the right side of the building was just ahead of them. A large gap loomed before them.

"This used to have a ramp across, it fell down years ago. When I worked here this was the hospital section of the Sanatorium."

Aidan pointed ahead. "This side is also in the worst shape." His head dipped down, he softly said, "There was a fire, and other things." Sighing he continued. "Once across, you'll need to stay close to me. We'll be walking on crumbling floors and stairs. I'm hoping this will give us a slight advantage from Mother and the other Vampires."

On the other side giant rusting cooling units dotted the roof. "Avoid the units,"  
>Aidan warned them. "I've noticed cracks in the roof where they sit. I don't know how long it will be before their weight breaks through."<p>

Aidan stepped, back, he took the leap first. He landed safely on the other side. The gap was five feet wide. Josh looked down the gap, he saw on each floor sections that connected the buildings. Some of them were crumbling apart so bad, he was able to see inside. Looking up he saw Sally standing next to Aidan.

"Come on Josh," she urged him "You can do it."

Randal rested the crossbow on his shoulders. Taking in a deep breath, he ran to the edge of the building and jumped to the next section. Landing hard on his feet, he waited for Josh.

Josh rubbed his sweating palms on his pants. He really hated heights. The sun was setting, but not soon enough for him. He could still see how high up they were.

"You need help?" Randal shouted.

Josh shook his head, "Just give me a second." He really was frightened, but he had to hide his fear.

"It's just a small gap," he mumbled. "Easy, I can do it."

He made sure the straps to his backpack were tight. Backing up a few steps, he fisted his hands and ran to the edge. Coming to it, he jumped on the edge and leapt off. As soon as his feet left the building his heart was racing so fast he felt as if it was coming out of his mouth. Wind milling his arms in the air, he landed hard on the roof. He laughed in joy, "One giant leap for wolf kind."

"Come on Neal," Aidan said. "Up ahead are stairs to the lower floors."

Taking the lead, Aidan walked towards an enclosure on the roof. As he rushed to keep up Josh suddenly stopped when something appeared in front of him.

"It's true," a young woman sighed. "You can see me. Pleaaassee, help me. My name is Dana Colby, I need your help to contact my daughter."

"Just what I didn't need," Josh mumbled, he tried to ignore her, but she kept appearing in front of him "You must help me," she wailed "I need to set things right."

"Maybe it's my cologne that's drawing all the unwanted attention?" Josh said. "Has to be it." He looked into Dana's eyes, "I'm sorry, but I can't help you, I have my own troubles to handle. I don't even know if I'll make it out of here alive."

Josh moved to his right, he rolled his eyes when an old man popped in front of him. "Goddamn, that crazy girl was right," the man said. "You are here, you do see us."

"Please," Josh said. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you either." He looked ahead, his companions did not realize he was being confronted by ghosts. They were already several feet ahead of him.

"Look," Josh said. "I promise, if I'm alive when this is all over, I'll do whatever I can to help you."

"You promise?" Josh heard someone from behind. Turning around he was shocked to see at least twenty ghosts standing behind him. In seconds ten more appeared. They began to walk to him, pleading, begging for him to help them. Slowly Josh backed away. "This party just keeps getting bigger," he whispered. "I cant' help you now," Josh told them. "Please, leave me alone."

"But you said," the old man growled. "You promised that you would help us."

Josh could see that they were not going to leave him alone. "Guys!" Josh called out. "Need a little help here."

Hearing Josh call for help, Sally was immediately by his side. "Leave him alone," Sally shouted.

"You can't have him all to yourself, girly," the old man grumped. "We have a right to ask him to help us. Aidan just talks to June, he won't help us. You know how long it's been since a human spoke to us?"

"Tooo long," a young woman wailed. In her arms, she cradled a baby. "My baby needs her door, you have to help me find it. I can't walk through my door without my baby."

"Yes," Dana said, "We all want our doors, we've been waiting so long for them. He's the only one that can help us."

The ghost's now grew bolder. They surrounded Josh. He began to back away from them, he stopped when he hit something hard. Turning around his face flushed cold, it was one of the cooling units on the roof.

Once they heard Josh cry for help, Sally immediately went to him. But Aidan hesitated, Randal could actually see him avoid looking at the spirits. Some of them angrily glared at Aidan.

"Your friend needs help," Randal told Aidan.

"Sally can handle it," he briskly replied.

Randal watched Josh back away from the demanding spirits. "Doesn't seem to be working." Aidan really didn't want to confront the spirits, he hoped that Sally would be able to manage them. He was willing stay where he was, that was until he saw Josh back away to far. "Josh," Aidan shouted, "Stay away from that."

Josh realized the ghosts had backed him up exactly where Aidan told them not to go. Ducking his head he made up his mind to run through the crowd of spirits. Just as he took one-step, he heard a loud bang. Sally spun around, she saw the terror in Josh's eyes as the roof below him began to crack.


	11. A Really Bad Plan

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Eleven

A Really Bad Plan

Josh shouted for help as the roof below his feet began to crack and groan. He actually felt the roof drop under him. His added weight was enough to send the unit down through the age-weakened roof, bringing him with it. As soon as Aidan and Randal saw the roof begin to buckle they both ran to him. Aidan immediately noticed that he was not running as fast as he should have. It had been so long since he drank blood, he was already feeling the drawbacks.

Josh had to think fast, he quickly pulled off his backpack and threw it towards Randal. He caught it as he was sprinting towards Josh. Randal suddenly stopped, and grabbed Aidan.

"Let me go," Aidan screamed. "I can get to him in time."

"No," Randal said. "You're to weak. You won't make it, he'll fall through."

"I…I put the I-Pad in the backpack," Josh stuttered. He nervously gasped as he heard a groaning sound below. "We may be needing it, can't have it damaged when this thing breaks through."

"What about you?" Sally cried out. She was standing next to him. He saw Aidan fight to free himself from Randal's hold. Josh knew that Aidan would try anything to save him, but he was not strong enough, quick enough. His extra weight would bring them both down. He could see Aidan pulling away from Randal's grip. He had to try something soon, before all of them would be dragged down.

Josh looked at Sally, she still stood by his side. "I have a plan," he told her. He jumped in the air and landed hard on top of the cooler unit. As soon as he jumped Aidan was able to pull himself from Randal's grip. He cried out, as he began to reach for Josh, but he was to late. The roof under Josh was falling away. Aidan began falling into the hole, until he felt a pair of strong hands grabbing his legs. With his legs held tight he swung through the hole in the roof. The last thing he saw was Josh gripping the cooler unit as it fell below.

Aidan swung in Randal's grip. Randal felt the roof still giving under him, he quickly backed up, dragging Aidan with him. He didn't stop until he knew they were safe. Aidan quickly scrambled up, he ran as close to the edge as possible to the gapping hole. Tightly gripping Josh's backpack, Randal followed Aidan. They stood at the edge of the hole, waiting for the dust to clear.

Sally hadn't moved an inch, she hovered in the air above the hole. "JOSH!" she shouted. "Are you all right?"

"Look at what you did," Dana angrily shouted to the other ghosts. "I can't wait for another one that can see us."

"This is all your fault," Sally screamed at them. Her voice grew deeper as she growled, "Get out of here, get out of here before I shred you all!" In an instant they all popped out.

Once the dust began to settle Aidan could see Josh. He was lying next to the fallen unit, two floors down. Once it hit the sixth floor the unit busted through to the fifth. Aidan shook his head, it was a Vampires worst nightmare. Broken wooden beams surrounded Josh.

"Aidan," Sally gasped. "He's not moving."

Aidan could see Sally was upset, he heard her voice change when she yelled at the other ghosts. He needed to find a way to push her thoughts for revenge back. "Sally, see if he's all right."

She immediately popped down next to Josh. She shouted his name, but received no response. She could see his chest moving up and down, that was a good sign that he was alive.

"He's unconscious, I don't know how badly he's hurt," she shouted to Aidan.

Pulling the flashlight out of the backpack, Randal shown its beam down, he saw a section of the floor that looked sturdy to him. Turning the light off, he leaped into the hole before Aidan had a chance to stop him. Landing hard on the sixth floor, he hopped down to the fifth, he hoped it would hold him. After a few seconds he began to breath.

A second later Aidan was by his side. "That was a stupid thing to do," he told him.

"Both floors could have been just as weak as the roof."

Randal shrugged his shoulders. "It was the fastest way I could see of getting down here."

Concerned for Josh, Aidan decided now was not the time to argue. He tried to find a way of reaching Josh through the forest of splinters. With Randal's help they slowly began to move the broken beams away. It took them ten minutes of hard work before reaching Josh. Randal immediately examined him. He found a large bruise on his forehead.

Listening to his breathing, he was thankful that it was strong and steady. "It's a good thing we're so close to the full moon," Randal said. "He is strong now, and will only become stronger. But he's had to take so much beating the past few days, so much." Randal slid his arms under Josh's legs and back, he easily lifted him up. He looked to Aidan, "Do you know of a place we can rest until he recovers?"

Aidan pointed ahead. "This way." He wanted to be the one to help his best friend, but he was so weak right now. It had been so long since he last fed, he couldn't remember the last time he had blood.

Following Aidan, Randal carried Josh. Sally was by his side, she continued to talk to Josh, trying to make him wake up. This section of the Sanatorium was in the worst condition. Above them water dripped from a recent rainfall. The floor was damp and smelled musty. Old leaves were strewn everywhere. The walls here were blackened, there had been a fire here years ago. Aidan led them to a set of small cement stairs. He began to climb down, coming to a landing he stopped.

"This leads to an old storage room," Aidan explained.

He tried to open a door on the landing. It stopped half way. The dampness warped the wood. He slammed his shoulder into the door and tried to open it wider. He cursed his weakness. If he was feeding properly the door would be open by now.

"Get back," Randal told him

Aidan stepped to the side. Randal tightly gripped Josh in his arms. Lifting his foot he slammed it into the door. It flew open, smashing into a wall. Aidan swiftly moved through the doorway.

This room was filled with old medical equipment from the days the Sanatorium was a Tuberculosis hospice. Weaving past metal bed frames, and tables Aidan worked his way to a backroom. Coming to a metal door, he found this one opened easily. Inside he immediately saw a large crack in the ceiling. Half the room was damp, while the other was bone dry. Randal carried Josh to the dry section.

Aidan found a musty mattress in the room, he placed it in the dry section. In a corner he found a pile of bed sheets still wrapped in their original packages. Tearing one open he placed it on the mattress. Randal then gently laid Josh down. Sally sat by his side, she looked up at Randal, "Think he'll be okay?"

Randal nodded his head, "I didn't feel any broken bones. He should be okay, but there is another that I need to take care of first." Randal turned around and walked out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Sally shouted to him, but he did not answer her. Aidan kneeled by Josh's side. He gently touched his forehead. There was some blood oozing from a bruise. With his blood on his fingers, Aidan was reminded just how thirsty he was. Even with the knowledge of the horrible reaction he would have to his blood, he actually contemplated drinking Josh.

"Wish he'd wake up," Sally said. Her fingers gently stroked his head. "Hey Josh, guess we finally found a way keep you quiet."

Aidan sat by his side, ten minutes later he heard Randal come back. Smelling a strange scent, he looked up. He saw Randal holding something in his arms.

"Saw this on the roof. Right now," Randal said. "The one that needs help the most is you, Aidan."

He lifted his arm. Gripped tightly in his hand was a squirming opossum. Aidan's face twisted in disgust, he shook his head, "I don't drink animals."

Randal squatted down next to Aidan. "I've been a Vampire longer than you think. Other than Mother, I'm one of the oldest. In the old days we did not just drink humans, we also drank from animals." He lifted the opossum, "There is no shame in it. An animal has strength, and courage. They are noble, they do not kill for revenge or for the 'thrill' of it. You'd be surprised how strong you'll feel if you try it."

Aidan shook his head, he would never stoop so low as to drink from an animal.

Randal sat cross-legged on the floor. He lay the opossum in his lap. His hand gently stroked the creature. It soon began to calm down. "Aidan, I am proud to say that in all of my life, or unlife, I've never tasted human blood."

Getting Aidan's attention, he continued. "I saw what it did to our kind. Mother turned us into monsters. She loved the high that human blood brought her. It became addictive, the more you drank, the more you wanted. But animal blood, it is different. I don't crave it, need it. I drink when I want to, nothing more."

He looked down at the creature in his lap. "You really don't need much from them. With the humans, at first a little is good enough. But like an addictive drug, you soon need more and more to get that high."

Randal held the opossum in the air by its tail. "You could have saved your friend, back there, if you were not so weak. You know that."

Aidan angrily shook his head, even though deep inside he knew he was telling the truth. If he had fed that day, he would have been quick enough to grab Josh before he fell in, but he didn't. And now Josh paid for his weakness.

"Feed," Randal pleaded with him. "Your friend needs you to be strong enough to protect him for the next day. WE need you. In the condition that you're in, I can see that will never happen. We need two strong vampires to help fight Mother. Do it Aidan, do it for your friend, do it to help us end Mother's rule, do it for yourself."

Aidan stared at the animal in Randal's hands. He was repulsed by it, but he was so hungry, so thirsty now that he even contemplated drinking from Josh, even knowing the horrible consequences.

"It is not as bad as you think," Randal told him. "Their blood is sweet and giving. And as I said, you don't need that much. Just a few draws, that's all I ask."

"Aidan," Sally gently said. "Please, try it. I can see you're in pain. What harm will it do, please for me, for Josh."

Taking in a deep breath, Aidan nodded his head. Sally sat silently by Josh. She had no idea what Aidan was going through, only Randal would know. Deep inside she hoped that Aidan would listen to them. Now that she saw him nod his head, she waited to see if Randal was right.

With a large grin set on his face, Randal gently cradled the opossum. He softly spoke to it. "You are strong, and noble, thank you for your sacrifice."

He stroked the creature until it lay limp in his arms. He held it before Aidan. "The stomach will give you the rich blood you need." He pointed to the center of the animals stomach. "As I said, a few draws, not enough to kill it, but enough to quench your thirst."

Aidan took the limp animal from Randal. To his nose it was not as offensive as Josh's Wolf scent. If he was able to drink from him, he should be able to drink from this animal. He looked down, its stomach moved up and down with each breath. Aidan's eyes turned black, his teeth clicked out. Bending down, he dug his teeth into the soft furry stomach. The first draw of blood was the same as with a human.

It was warm and thick. It flowed down his throat. He waited for the high, but it did not come as quickly as it did with a human's blood. He took in a second draw, swallowing he noticed that he could feel his strength returning. His senses were becoming more acute. He took in a third draw, he sat back, allowing the hot blood to flow down his throat.

Randal gently took the opossum from his hands. "That should be enough." He lay the opossum in a dark corner to recover. Coming to Aidan he looked at him, he saw his eyes were still closed.

"Was it as bad as you thought?"

Aidan opened his eyes, he thought he would be saying yes, but he couldn't, he was shocked to find that Randal was right. He did feel strong, not the high from a human, but his strength was just as great, if not greater.

"It was not AS bad," Aidan said. "Could have been worse."

Randal chuckled. "The only reason why Mother's never forced me to drink human, is because I took very good care of her Phelan's." He moved to sit next to Josh. He touched the wound, he was happy to find it was not deep, but it was open. He used his knife to cut a bed sheet into strips. He carefully wrapped it around the wound. "I've had to watch after hundreds of wolfs for Mother, hundreds." Finished bandaging the wound, he lay Josh's head down. "Yet this one, I don't know…he was so different."

Aidan knowingly smiled, "I know what you mean."

"I see now why you made friends with him." He stared at Josh. "He is the first one that talked to me, was easy being with me, accepted me. I guess that was because of you." He sat back, staring at Josh. "You know, my brother was about his age when mother recruited me. Our father died when I was young, I grew up fast, we had to back then. I brought my brother up. I taught him how to be a game warden, showed him all the tricks I knew."

"The day finally came when he was ready to move to the next village, take in a wife, help our family grow. Until…." He angrily shook his head, "I forgot about that, him. She made me forget. Had me all riled up telling me how noble our kind was. We were you know, in her time. That was before she killed them all and made us in her twisted image." He suddenly realized his hands were fisted tight, loosening them he sadly sighed. "Friends are hard to make, I hope he thinks of me as one."

"I know he does," Sally said. "Josh can be a pain sometimes, and a bit of a whiner, but deep inside he has a good heart. He wouldn't hesitate to give his life, for his friends."

"I knew that the very next day of his captivity," Randal said. "That's why Mother wanted him. His greatest strength lies in the principles that he upholds, values that are no longer taught, or forgotten in these modern times."

Aidan agreed. "He's a man who stands by his word, and is willing to die for it. I used to joke with him that he had an old soul," Aidan said, with a smile.

As Sally and Randal waited for Josh to wake up, Aidan stared at Randal. He'd been a Vampire for hundreds of years, and in all that time he thought he knew everything there was to know about being a Vampire. It took an old game warden to show him a new trick. As he waited for Josh to wake up, his thoughts turned to tomorrow.

At first he felt that Josh's story of Mother drinking his blood was just that, a story. After drinking the opossum's blood he began to think that there may be a way for him to stop Mother's rule. All they had to do was wait it out one more day, just one more day. He never knew it would be the longest day of his life.


	12. An IPad of the helpful Kind

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Twelve

An I-Pad of the helpful Kind

It was nearly an hour after his fall, when Josh began to wake up. He immediately grabbed his head, it felt as if a thousand men were banging away inside. Randal quickly went to his side. He poked and prodded him until he was satisfied nothing was broken.

"He's lucky," Randal said. "Nothing broken that I can see."

"Josh, how do you feel?" Aidan asked him.

"As if I fell through the roof," Josh sighed.

"Well it should!" Sally angrily shouted. "That was your plan, really? Surfing a cooling unit?"

"It worked, didn't it? I'm alive," he countered. She went to slap him, but her hand harmlessly moved through him. "You only survived because of your thick skull. If I was alive, you would have given me a heart attack."

Josh could see she was concerned for him. He tried to make it up to her. "I'm sorry I frightened you, but it was the only thing I could come up with at the time." Grinning at her he gently said, "Sally, I'm fine."

Josh looked around, "Where exactly are we?"

"This was a storage room," Aidan explained. "You've been unconscious for about an hour."

Josh looked up, "So I'm guessing no sign of Mother, her boot-squad or Mr. Clean?"

Aidan laughed, "Good name, wish I thought of it when I was working here."

Josh sat up, he tried to stand but he felt so lightheaded he quickly sat down. "Wait a bit," Randal told him. "You have a nasty bump on your head"

Josh took in a deep breath, "What about Mother?"

"Not sure," Aidan said. "You really all right?"

"Just one Hulk sized headache. Don't worry, it's not even close to the pain of a change." Josh noticed something different about Aidan. "You look stronger, did you drink blood?" He checked his arms, but found no puncture marks. "What's that smell on your breath. Is that…is that…?"

"Opossum," Sally quickly said. She was so happy to see Josh's eyes looking so clear and alive.

"I was going to tell him, later," Aidan softly mumbled.

"Oh," Josh said. "So you complain about my smell, but you ate opossum?"

"I didn't eat it," Aidan barked back.

"No," Josh said. "Because that would be…insane."

Aidan sat back, "You're not going to let me forget this, are you."

Josh fought to keep a grin from forming, "Did you know they're also called 'moon rats'?"

"I didn't eat a rat," Aidan shouted, half angry, half laughing.

"Poor Mickey," Sally said in a girlish voice.

"That's a mouse," Aidan corrected her.

"You ate a mouse too?" Josh said

Randal laughed, and shook his head, "I have to say, this is the most unusual friendship I've ever seen."

"Unusual, crazy, bizarre sometimes, but it works," Sally said.

They all jerked when they heard a loud noise echoing through the building. "Must be Mother, or Donny," Aidan said.

"Really wish we could find out what's happening out there," Sally said.

Josh secretly smiled, "I think I may have a way." He searched around the room, "My backpack, do you have it?"

Randal quickly gave Josh his backpack. Opening it, he pulled out Chester's I-Pad. He began to punch in commands. "Chester has a link to the monitors positioned in the building." Tapping away he mumbled, "All I have to do is look for the right one…there," he sighed. Everyone scrunched in to see what was playing on the I-pad.

They could see the ghost hunters walking through a dark hallway. They also could see that at least twenty ghosts were following them. Lydia was skipping next to the possessed cameraman. "This camera is on the fifth floor of the center building," Josh told them. "So now we know where the possessed hunters are, we just need to look for Mother and her hit squad."

He went to each camera, stopping at the one positioned on the first floor. The room was silent. As Josh scanned the camera across the room they could see several people laying on the floor, covered in blood.

"I can guess what happened there," Aidan said.

"Wait a minute," Josh said. "This is live, let me try something." He poked and slid his finger on the screen until they saw a man and two women sitting on the table covered in hard drives and monitors. Suddenly one of them stood up, he spun around and flew to a wall. A woman was actually lifted from the chair, she screamed in terror as her neck was being ripped out.

"I'm playing back a video of the room from an hour back," Josh said. "Damn," he hissed. "I had hoped we'd be able to use this to show us where the vampires are."

"Yes, it's a shame we don't show up on a camera," Randal said.

"Wait a minute," Josh said, with a snap of his fingers. He searched for other camera's on the I-Pad. "Let's try something other than video." He punched in a command. The scene began to replay, but it was in a different position and a different color. Blues, red's and yellows formed the shapes.

They saw the red-yellow bodies being thrown around, but this time they were able to see the outline of bodies in a dark blue color.

"Thermal imaging camera," Josh said. "Gotta love ghost hunters. It tracks temperature. You guys are already dead, so you show up cold, blue."

They stared at the monitor, once the humans were killed they saw a human shape walk in that was darker in color than the others. "That's got to be Mother," Josh said.

"Knew she wouldn't dirty her hands," Aidan said. "She'll let the others search for me, then they'll most likely drag me to her and let her have the honor of dealing the death blow."

Josh switched the thermal camera to live. They saw a blue figure sitting on a chair in front of the table of monitors. Two blue shapes stood behind her.

"She's using the ghost hunters camera's against us," Josh said. "She'll be looking out for us. Well at least we know she's still on the first floor. And fortunately for us, she doesn't know we have Chester's I-pad with a link to all the camera's."

He worked away on the I-Pad. "Hmm, unfortunately Thermal cameras are not cheap. I see only four of them, one on the first, two the third, and one on the fifth floor." Looking at the I-Pad Josh's eyes lit up. "Hey guys, our luck just may be changing." Josh flipped the I-pad. "This thing has a PowerBack Battery case. That'll give us five extra hours. If we conserve energy, we should be able to keep track of what's happening in the sanatorium at least until tomorrow night."

"I think we'll be safe here until morning," Randal said. He pointed to the time on the I-pad. It showed 7:45. He gave Josh a stern look. "Your need some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day, leading up to a busy night."

"But I'm not tired," Josh protested.

"He can't sleep anyway," Aidan said. "After a concussion, you're not supposed to sleep."

Randal agreed. "We can watch him for the next couple of hours, if he's still okay then, Josh. You really should get some sleep. We don't need it, but you do. We all need to be our strongest for tomorrow."

Josh wanted to argue, but deep inside he knew Randal was right. They spent the next few hours talking about what needed to be done tomorrow. It was near midnight when Randal said he was sure Josh did not suffer from a concussion. Josh was actually so tired by then, he had no trouble falling asleep. It was nearly two hours after Josh went to sleep that Randal stepped up to the door.

Aidan immediately jumped up, "Where are you going?" he demanded.

Randal winked at him. "I've been thinking about that splinter nightmare we left behind. I think we can use it to take down some of the Vampires that are after you. We need weapons, and fortunately you have here a vampire who made his living doing just that." He wiggled the door, "What do you think?"

Aidan looked at the sleeping Josh. "Sally, I want you to stay with him, we'll be back soon."

"Not liking it, but I guess someone has to watch him."

Randal hefted his crossbow. When he received an angry look from Aidan, he stood his ground. "You know, once Mother learns I helped Josh escape, I'll be joining you on her hit list. I've been with her long enough to know she holds no loyalty for her employees, no matter how long you've worked for her."

He tiredly shifted the crossbow to another shoulder. "I know you don't trust me, and I don't blame you. But like it or not, I'm a part of this now. Besides two vampires against Mother are much better than one, especially if one of them is an expert marksman with a crossbow."

Aidan didn't like it, but the logic was right. "Just make sure you aim that at the right vampire."

Grinning widely Randal revolved the crossbow in his arms, "Um, which end to I shoot from?"

Aidan opened the door, he looked back at Sally, "If you hear anything coming, you get me right away."

"In a blink," Sally promised.

Leaving the room, he slammed the door tight. The light from a flashlight was the only illumination in the room. Sally sat down next to Josh. She saw him breathing heavily. She gently stroked his head, "Poor Josh, you've been banged up so much lately."

"You don't have to watch him," she heard a familiar voice say. "Sally, why are you here? You don't need him, or Aidan, just me, you and me, together. There are so many ghosts outside just ripe for ripping." Sally didn't have to look up to know who was talking.

Sighing she softly said, "That time Josh, when I was trapped within my mind," she looked up and saw Scott standing in the room. Her eyes stared right into his. "I did hear you talking to me, you and Aidan."

She looked down at Josh. "You're what brought me back. I was loosing myself, losing me, but the two of you stayed by my side. You choose to fight back, try to find a way to bring me back." Laughing, she softly cried, "And you did." Looking up at Scott she said, "He did."

"Thank you, as I said before, I could never pay you back in a hundred life times." Looking up she could see that Scott was gone. She sat in the room, staring at Josh watching him, guarding him.

Aidan and Randal quietly sprinted back to the room Josh fell into, they quickly began to work. Randal used his knife to fashion the wood into weapons that could be used against vampires. Aidan searched for the right length of wood. Soon they were accumulating a small arsenal they could use to kill Vampires.

After about an hour of working in quiet, Aidan asked Randal, "Why did you help him escape?"

Randal picked up a broken piece of wood. Leaning on the fallen cooler unit he began to whittle it into a bolt for his crossbow. "I guess I can return that question as to why you made friends with him." Continuing whittling, he stared at Aidan. "Why did you make friends with a werewolf? Our kind has always looked down at him."

Aidan's eyes glassed over, he stared at the walls of the Sanatorium. "I guess the answer to that starts here."

They both spun around when someone said, "What exactly happened here?"

Randal pulled his crossbow from his back so fast his hands were a blur. His finger was instantly poised over the trigger. He immediately hissed, "Damn it Josh, you were seconds from having a hole in your chest."

"Sorry," Josh said. He was standing in the doorway to the room, the white bandage around his head shown brightly in the dark room. Sally was by his side. She shrugged her shoulders, "Sorry guys, once he woke up, he wanted to help."

"What about…?" Aidan started to say, until Josh held the I-pad up. "Don't worry, I'm keeping an eye out for them. So far both groups have stayed in the middle section of the building." He tapped the I-Pad, "Actually the ghost hunters equipment is perfect for spotting Vampires. They have motion detectors as well as thermal camera's posted all over the place. Vampires may be invisible to the camera, but not the noise they make. I can hear them talking and their feet shuffling, and if they move something the motion detectors will detect it. For now, we're safe."

Taking a step closer to Aidan, Josh said, "What started here, that led you to making friends with me that night?"

Randal took the I-pad from Josh, "Go ahead, tell him. I'll keep an eye out for our brethren and Donny and his crew."

Aidan could see that Sally was interested in what happened here too. He guessed it was time to let Josh know the truth. Josh anxiously waited, Aidan was about to tell him something that he had been wondering about since the first day he met him.


	13. The Perfect Setup?

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Thirteen

The Perfect Setup?

Aidan took in a deep breath, he was about to tell them of a time in his life that no one knew. "I worked here in the early sixties," he began. "After what happened in Boston with the Dutch, I wanted a change. I was on the road for several years when I found The Carroll. It was the perfect setting. The place was a free meal ticket. I got paid, and feasted free every night."

"But one day, something happened that changed my thoughts about humans. It was the day that closed this place down."

The day was March 18th, 1962. Aidan had been working at the Carroll for over four months. In that short time he managed to establish a very profitable routine. He worked during the day, and feasted at night. It was the perfect set up. No one would believe an insane patient with their wild tales of a monster that visited them at night. It was 7 p.m., time to pick up the dinner trays on the third floor. Aidan was pushing a large cart, as he approached the elevator he suddenly stopped. A young girl floated towards him.

"Damn it, Lydia," Aidan hissed. "I told you to stop following me."

"I'm lonely," Lydia whined. "You're the only one here that can see me. The repeaters don't talk to me, most of the other spirits here don't talk to me. I just want someone to talk to, even if he is a Vampire."

"Leave me alone," Aidan said. "I need to pick up the dinner trays."

Lydia angrily crossed her arms, "June's waiting for you. You know she's got a crush on you, you seem to like her too."

Aidan laughed, "Lydia, you don't know how far from the truth you are. Humans are only trouble, I saw what one of them did to a friend. She's nothing to me but tomorrow's supper." Backing into the elevator he pulled in the cart. "Now stop bothering me, otherwise I'm going to start carrying an iron bar."

Throwing Aidan a hurt look, she drifted away. The only problem Aidan had working here was the ghosts that inhabited the sanatorium from the days it was a tuberculosis hospice. But he put up with them, most of them didn't bother him and they kept his secret of his midnight visits.

As the third floor elevators opened up, Aidan pushed the metal cart out. He was immediately greeted by one of the many guards on the floor.

"Hello, Cecil," Aidan said. He raised his arms. He knew the routine. Anyone that entered the floor had to be searched for weapons. Cecil was a large sized man, he took his job at the Sanatorium very seriously. He quickly patted Aidan down. Satisfied he was not harboring weapons he nodded him to go ahead.

Pushing the cart Aidan saw a young woman walking towards him. She sweetly smiled at him, he politely smiled back.

"Right on time, Aidan," June said.

"That's me, always punctual," Aidan replied.

In the distance he heard a song playing on a radio. "Isn't that Bruce Channel's new song, Hey Baby?" he asked her.

June's head dipped down, she listened to the song. From the first moment she heard the song, she wished she would hear those words coming from Aidan. But every time she attempted to make some connection with him, he always pushed her away.

"Yes it is, it's a good dance song, don't you think?"

"It's okay," Aidan said. "I like the harmonica on it."

"I hear there's a dance at the local movie theater." She waited for Aidan to say something, looking down he said, "Well, I have a job to do."

June moved out of his way, "Of course, sorry."

She watched him walk down the hallway. She heavily sighed as she listened to the song play on the radio,

"_When you turned and walked away, that's when I want to say. Come on baby give me a whirl, I wanna know if you'll be my girl_" Whirling she whispered, "Yes Aidan, I do want to be your girl."  
>She dropped her clipboard when Cecil suddenly stepped in front of her. "Princess, don't waste your time with that one."<p>

Cecil was her cousin, and she was thankful that he managed to get her a job here. But she didn't realize he would be watching out for her like a big brother. Because her name meant 'queen of the gods' her father would call her princess. She gave Cecil a stern look as she picked up the fallen clipboard. "I told you not to call me that at work."

Cecil knowingly smiled. "I know you're the kind of girl that's always liked the forbidden fruit." He pointed at Aidan as he turned a corner. "But take it from me, that guy is one bad apple, rotten to the core. Don't even bother with him. He'll just throw you away like yesterday's lunch."

June began to feel very uncomfortable now, he always knew exactly what she was thinking. "I'm sorry Cecil, but I'm twenty one now, I'm not a little girl anymore, and that's really none of your business."

Cecil bowed his head, "Sorry if I overstepped my bounds, just something I had to say. Won't happen again." Bowing his head again, he stepped back to his station.

Clearing her throat she began walking away, cursing herself she promised to try to hide her feelings for Aidan.

Aidan moved the cart through the narrow hallway. On each side were steel doors. Stopping at one door he knocked two times. A small slot opened and a metal tray was shoved through. Placing it on the cart, he went to another door. It was when he reached a door in the center that he hesitated to knock. This was Donny Muerte's cell. In all the sanatorium, he was the most dangerous, most insane patient.

The only reason why he was still living, was due to Doctor Montague. He said he wanted to study Donny, to try and use him to detect and possibly stop future mass murderers. Donny was the reason why they had so many guards. Even locked up, everyone on the floor was afraid to work there. They only agreed when the security was stepped up.

Aidan quickly knocked two times. He waited for the slot to open, it took a bit longer than normal. Once it opened Aidan saw the tip of the tray poke out. He grabbed it but found it stuck. Letting go, Aidan leaned on the door.

"Not playing this game with you anymore, Donny," Aidan said. "I got all night to wait for that tray. Funny thing though, I get paid for this. So go ahead, take your time."

Aidan saw the tray slowly being pulled back into the room. "I know who you are," Aidan heard Donny whisper. "I hear the cries at night, I hear everything. But I'm not going to allow it much longer. I'm the angel of death here, I don't like you feeding in my territory."

Aidan laughed and shook his head. "Donny, I'm nothing close to an angel."

"No," Donny said, "You're worse, you're a leech, a parasite, a stinkin' vampire. And if I could get out of here, first neck I'd get my hands around would be yours."

Aidan quickly grabbed the tray and pulled it out. Bending down, he could see Donny's eyes through the slot. "Well Donny, that's never going to happen. You're going to spend the rest of your filthy life in here. You're scum, you're not even worth drinking. You're going to die here Donny, if it was up to me I'd have broken your neck from day one. Fortunately for you, humans seem to be afflicted with mercy."

"First neck," Donny rumbled, as the slot closed.

Slamming the tray on the cart Aidan continued to collect the rest of the trays. As he left, he never saw a young girl dancing through the hallways. Stopping at a certain cell, she moved through the doors.

Once Aidan was done picking up the trays, he headed to the fourth floor of the sanatorium. He liked it here, because the others were frightened of this floor. They were told it was haunted, and Aidan knew they were right. Here was where most of the repeaters played out their deaths over and over. In a way it was a sanctuary for Aidan. He took over one of the rooms in the center of the floor. He put in a Television, bed, and a couch. It was where he lived. He would sit and wait here until night fell. Then at midnight, he would sneak down and visit one of the patients.

Watching television, he saw the time on the clock was eight. He just had to wait four more hours. But what he had planned that night never included what was about to happen.

As he watched television, he faintly smelled something. It was a scent that he was far to familiar with, blood. Opening the door, the scent was overwhelming. Rushing out of the room, he ran towards the stairs. Coming to them he bumped into one of the nurses, "He's escaped," a blonde woman screamed. Her dress was splattered with blood. She stumbled up the stairs. "I got away, I don't know how I made it out of there alive. We got to hide, he'll find us, he'll find us and kill us for sure."

Aidan grabbed the woman by the shoulders, "Debby, who's escaped?" he asked her.

"D…Donny," she cried. She tried to wipe the blood from her dress. Her hands were shaking hard. "I don't know how he got out. I was talking with Paul, when suddenly he just came running down the hallway." She slowly looked down the stairs. "Poor Paul, he tried to stop him. I…I saw Donny grab him by the neck. He shoved something sharp in his gut." Debby began to frantically sob, "The blood, so much blood. I had to run, didn't I?" she looked at Aidan. "It was the right thing to do, wasn't it? I had to run, had to live."

Aidan grabbed her by the arms. The blood on her was intoxicating. Debby sobbed harder, "Oh my god, what did he do to me?"

She looked down, blood began to flow down her arm. Aidan saw a large wound on her arm. Hearing screaming below Aidan tightly gripped Debby. "Damn him, he spoiled everything."

"Wha…what do you mean?" Debby sobbed.

"I wasn't talking to you," Aidan growled. The smell of the blood was to much for him. Grabbing her arm, he plunged his teeth deep into her wound. He quickly sucked the blood from her, she tried to fight him, but he was to strong. In seconds she fell limp in his arms. Aidan threw her on the steps. He wiped the blood from his mouth.

He saw Debby's ghost standing at the top of the stairs. Her eyes wide in shock. "You killed me," she sobbed. "Why did you kill me?"

Aidan pointed behind her, "That's yours, if you don't go through it, you'll be stuck here forever." Looking behind her, she saw a door standing in the middle of the floor. Going to it she opened it, a warm light shown through. She looked back at Aidan, "Why did you help me?"

Aidan didn't answer. As she slowly she stepped through, he softly said. "I did it to save me the annoyance of being haunted by you."

Hearing shouting below Aidan cursed Donny. He knew it was too good to last. He ran back to his room. Picking up a large knife, he ran out. Sprinting down the hallway he made his way to the back stairs. He would use them to get out of the sanatorium.

Coming to the stairs he quietly moved down the steps. He stopped one third down and looked around. The blood he just drank made him stronger, more sensitive. Searching the floor he saw flickering light fixtures hanging down from the ceiling. One of the guards was lying on the floor, a pool of blood had formed under his head. From the smell he could tell it happened minutes ago.

Carefully he moved down the steps. If he could just make it past this floor he knew a fast way out of here. Half way down he stopped. He saw a group of people running down the hallway. Doctor Montague was with them as well as five nurses, and four orderlies. He also saw June and Cecil running with them. Once they saw Aidan they rushed towards him.

"He's on a killing spree," a nurse cried out. "I don't know how he did it, but he's released every dangerous patient from their cell. There's no stopping him."

A male orderly ran up the stairs clutching his bloody shoulder. "You can't go down there," he gasped. "They have it blocked. They have all the elevators blocked too. I tried to call for help, but the phones on the floors are all broken. We have to find someway of letting the authorities know what's going on."

"How are we going to get out of here?" a young nurse sobbed.

Aidan hefted the knife, he was so close to leaving this mess. Now he was right in the middle of it. He decided he would stay with the humans. He'd keep them between him and Donny. When the time came, he'd be out of there in a flash.


	14. A Deadly Encounter

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Fourteen

A Deadly Encounter

Hearing a scream coming from the lower floor, Aidan knew he had to go up. Unfortunately he was now stuck with a group of survivors.

"Is there another way out of here?" Dr. Montague asked Aidan. He was aware that Aidan lived on the fourth floor. He knew this place better than anyone here.

Aidan had to think, he did know of another way down, he just really didn't want to use it. "I may have a way, let's go."

He led them up the stairs to the forth floor. They followed him closely. He swiftly moved across the floor to the open balconies. In the human's eyes, they saw rusted bed frames. To Aidan, the balcony was filled with the cries of hundreds of dying tuberculosis victims. He tried to ignore them as he headed towards the end of the balcony.

"We need to go to the hospital wing," he said, as he walked down a narrow hallway. "I hope they haven't reached it. We should be able to find a working phone there."

At the end of the hallway was a connection corridor to the west wing of the sanatorium. It was used as a hospital for the inmates. Coming to the corridor the lights suddenly blinked out. The women screamed in fright as they were plunged into darkness. June grabbed Aidan by his shirt. "I'm scared, Aidan," she sobbed.

"Don't be," he told her. "It's just as dark for Donny as it is for us. This may be an advantage, I...uh, have no problem moving in the dark." He almost told her that his Vampire eyes could see in the darkness. "It's this way."

He felt June tightly grip his hand. Slowly he walked through the inky blackness. He knew exactly where he was going, he realized that the darkness was actually a blessing. Once he led them far enough to the west wing, he would let June's hand go. Then he would head straight to his escape route.

Moving out of the corridor, he scanned the room. He did not see or hear anyone in the room. He led the others across the floor. It was a large room, used as a waiting area for the patients. Tripping over a fallen bottle, he held his nose as it was overpowered by the smell of ammonia. The room was a mess, the escaped inmates were here. Coming to a desk Aidan suddenly stopped. Standing in front of him was Lydia.

"Bad things happening," she madly sung. "Exciting things, more exciting than in a long time. We got us some new ghosts now. Oh yes, they gonna find out that The Carroll will treat them well." She madly sang, _"Carroll, Carroll you are so very dear. And when we die, you keep our souls in here. Carroll, Carroll, you are so very dear." _

"What's wrong?" Dr. Montague hissed. "Why did we stop?"

"Something's not right," Aidan said.

"Oh no, but it is right," Lydia said. "We got new souls in The Carroll. Oh yes, new souls, and more to come. More for me to talk to, that's what Donny promised."

"What do you mean?" Aidan growled. "What did Donny promise?"

"Aidan, who are you talking to?" June asked him.

He quickly released her hand. She clutched for it, "Aidan, don't leave me!" she shouted.

Aidan rushed over to where Lydia was dancing. "Tell me, what the hell did you do, Lydia?" he demanded.

She suddenly stopped dancing. Her bottom lip pouted out. "I was lonely. You wouldn't talk to me, Donny promised me that he would add new ghosts to the Carroll. Ones that will talk to me."

"You can't talk to him, Lydia. He can't hear you."

Lydia rushed to him. "Oh but that's where you're wrong. He can see me, he can talk to me. He once explained it." Lydia's eyes clouded as she quoted what Donny said. "He said, 'I killed so many, I am as close to death as a dead person."

She nodded her head, "Yep, that's what he said. So he can talk to me. Told me how pretty I am, and how smart I am. Something you never told me."

Aidan felt a hand grab him, spinning around he saw June and Cecil standing behind him. "What's going on?" Cecil demanded. "Who are you talking to, Aidan?"

Before he could answer, Lydia began giggling madly. "Oh you never told them that you're a Vampire. Naughty, naughty Aidan. Donny said he is going to have so much fun playing with you, right Donny?"

Aidan's eyes instantly turned black, his fangs clicked out. He searched the dark room. "Let's do it Donny, this is my territory now, not yours."

In a flash the lights suddenly flicked on. Cecil and June jumped back when they saw Aidan's black eyes, his mouth open they could see his long teeth. The sudden bright light was blinding to Aidan's sensitive eyes. He heard Donny let out a rebel yell as he jumped out from where he was hiding. Four more escaped inmates ran from their concealed locations. Donny ran straight to Aidan. Blinded Aidan could hear Donny, but not see him.

"Aidan, look out," Aidan heard June warn him, just before Donny slammed into him. His hand gripped one of Aidan's wrists, forcing him to release the knife he was holding. Once the knife hit the floor, Donny kicked it to the side. Aidan reached up to try to pull his hand free from Donny's grip, it was then he felt something plunge into his thigh. Donny pushed the wooden stake deeper into Aidan's leg, he then broke it, leaving a large piece imbedded in his leg. He released his grip on Aidan and began to step back. Aidan fell to the ground he immediately tried to pull out the object. Donny slowly brought out a second wooden stake.

"I know the legends well, Aidan. Made more than one of these," he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I didn't hit your heart on purpose. This is the beginning of your cleansing. Pain, it's a reminder to you that you're alive. Oh, I'm going to make your cleansing a masterpiece. Gonna be a feather in my cap cleansing a Vampire."

Aidan tried to pull the stake out of his leg, but there was nothing to grip. His vision was starting to return. He faintly saw Donny standing before him, holding another stake in his hand. Turning he tried to crawl away from him, until he heard someone shout, "Leave him alone." He heard a bottle break, and the strong scent of Ammonia fill the room.

June was frightened, she had never been more frightened in her life. She saw four people she knew well viciously killed in front of her. Now she was in a room with the man that killed them. She became more frightened when she saw Aidan's eyes when the lights turned on. He looked pure evil to her. Once Donny popped out she shouted a warning to Aidan, Cecil quickly grabbed her.

"Princess, we got to get out of here," he shouted to her.

A woman immediately knocked him down, she clawed and scratched his face. June grabbed a fallen IV tree and slammed it into the woman's back. She clutched her back, this gave Cecil enough time to punch her in the face. She limply fell on him. Cecil quickly stood up. He saw Aidan on the floor, struggling to pull something out of his leg. Three other escapees were fighting with the few survivors.

June saw Donny step back, the grin on his face was cold, and evil. She looked at Aidan, his black eyes were gone, he was trying to crawl away from Donny. He looked hurt, and so helpless. She had to try something to stop Donny from killing him.

She frantically searched the room, she saw a bottle of Ammonia on the floor. It was used to clean the floors. Picking it up, she rushed towards Donny. His attention on Aidan, he never saw her coming. "Leave him alone," she shouted as she smashed the bottle of Ammonia on his head.

Donny clutched his face, he screamed at her, "You bitch, if you blinded me I'll rip your guts out and have them for breakfast." He ran to the back of the room. Using a water fountain he tried to wash the ammonia from his eyes.

As Donny ran to wash his face, June struggled to help Aidan stand.

"Help me," she called out.

"Didn't you hear Donny, he's a Vampire," Dr. Montague gasped. The others had managed to subdue the three remaining escapees. "You saw his eyes."

The few survivors began to back away. With Donny occupied they saw this as a way for them to escape. "Please, he needs help" she pleaded with them. "We can't just leave him here." They just shook their heads, turned and ran off, except for one.

"Damn it June, just leave him," Cecil pleaded. "You saw his eyes, he's not human."

June shook her head, "No, I can't, not to that animal." She struggled to help Aidan stand.

"Mule headed girl," Cecil cursed. "Why have you always been so stubborn?" He rushed to her side. "Come on, Aidan," Cecil said. Thanking Cecil, June took one arm while Cecil took the other. They both pulled him out of the room. All the time Donny never ceased telling them the many ways he was going to kill them all.


	15. The Angel of Death

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Fifteen

The Angel of Death

Aidan's sight fully returned once they left the waiting room. Cecil and June half dragged, half carried him down several corridors. Hearing a cry from behind, they pulled Aidan into a hallway. Cecil gasped in frustration when he found it was a dead end. Several gurneys sat in the hallway. June crawled under one, dragging Aidan with her. Cecil covered the gurney with a sheet. He ran to a gurney across the hall, hiding under it they silently waited.

In seconds they heard Doctor Montague screaming as he ran down the hallway. He stopped at the end, spinning around his head shook back and forth, drool ran down his throat. "No, Donny," he cried. "Don't do it, I was the one that kept you alive. You don't want to kill me."

Donny was slowly walking down the hallway. He blinked his eyes, they still stung from the ammonia. He was furious that Aidan managed to get away thanks to June. He had to take his anger out on someone, fortunately Doctor Montague had become available.

"Oh, but I do appreciate what you've done for me, doc." Donny grabbed one of the gurneys in the hall and flung it at Montague. He jumped out of the way as it flew past him, to collide against the wall behind him.

"You made me realize that I was spared death for a reason." Grabbing another gurney he pushed it at Montague. Sally tightly hugged Aidan, that gurney was just in front of them. Slowly Aidan took her hand and placed it on the metal legs. He mouthed to her to hold on tight. She nodded her head.

"Donny, please let me live, I promise I'll let the world know all about what you've done here. You'll be famous, the world will never forget who Donny Muerte is."

June's heart skipped a beat when she felt the gurney they were on move. She gripped the legs of the gurney tight, she felt it stop when she heard Donny say, "Ah Doc, but I'm already famous."

June heard him take a step forward. She breathed a sigh of relief when he grabbed the gurney after them. Donny grunted as he grabbed the gurney and ran to Montague. He tried to get out of his way, but standing in a dead end, there was nowhere to go. He held out his hands in a useless attempt to stop the gurney. Donny was to strong, the gurney slammed into his stomach. He was driven into a gurney behind him. Pinned between them he was being crushed. He spit out blood as Donny ground the gurney deeper.

"Pain Doctor, it reminds us that we're alive. And when we die, the pain is all that remains." Standing up, Donny cupped his hands in prayer, his wings fully blossomed when his arms touched. "I am the angel of death," he sighed. "It is my sacred duty to cleanse the world of evil."

He pulled out a crude knife made from a dinner tray. Throwing the gurney to the side he stepped up to Montague. He quickly caught him before he fell. "Go to hell doctor, with all the others that thought to stop my sacred quest." He plunged the knife deep into his chest and pulled up. Montague gurgled, before falling into Donny. Donny released his hold on Montague. He slid slowly to the floor. Kneeling down, Donny dipped his finger into the blood pouring from his chest. Placing it in his mouth he smacked his lips, "Yes, I'd forgotten how good that tasted."

Standing up, he absently cleaned the blood from his blade on his shirt. He walked down the hallway, kicking the gurney that hid Cecil. It banged against the wall, it took all of Cecil's strength to keep quiet. After Donny left, Cecil waited a full five minutes before attempting to come out from under the gurney. Crawling out he looked back. He saw the dead eyes of Montague looking up. Cecil made the sign of the cross.

"You're the one that's famous now, Doc. From now on you'll be known as the man that helped Donny continue his killing spree."

He quickly pulled the sheet off the second gurney. He was happy to see June was still there, holding onto Aidan.

"We dodged that bullet," he told June. He helped her pull Aidan out from under the gurney.

Looking around, Aidan pointed to his left, "There," he gasped. "We have to go that way. There's a room, we can get to the basement from there." They quickly moved down the corridors until Cecil suddenly stopped. Lifting his head he took in a deep breath.

"You smell that?"

"Fire," June gasped. "He's set the place on fire."

"Quickly, that way," Aidan said. They dragged him down the hallways, thick smoke began to drift towards them. Aidan led them to a small room. It was lined with shelves filled with medication. There was just the one door in and out. Closing it, Cecil saw wisps of smoke flowing inside from the bottom of the door.

"We're trapped," Cecil panted. "We're going to be burned alive."

Suddenly they heard an alarm blare, above them the sprinklers opened up. In minutes they were drenched in water.

"We're not going to burn, we're going to drown," Cecil shouted.

"We have a way out," Aidan said. "Behind that bookcase, pull it out."

Cecil and June sat Aidan on the floor. June began to examine the wound in Aidan's leg while Cecil worked on removing the bookcase. She could see a piece of the wooden stake in his leg. She had to figure some way of getting it out. The water made it to slippery to pull out. She jumped when Cecil dropped a large metal piece of the bookcase next to her. Picking it up, she looked at Aidan.

"I can't pull it out, I think we'll have to push it through."

Aidan grabbed the piece of metal from her. Shoving it against the wooden stake, he pushed it down with all his might. He screamed in pain as the stake tore through his leg. Turning him June grabbed the stake and finished pulling it out.

She sighed in relief when the sprinklers finally turned off. She searched for dry gauze on the shelves. Finding some she began to wrap it around the wound. "Finished," Cecil said. June saw a small door that was hidden behind the bookcase. "Where does that go?" she asked Aidan.

Aidan clutched his leg, the pain was excruciating, "It's a chute that goes down to the basement. They would send the bodies down it when the tuberculosis patients died. We can use it to get out of here."

"How did you know about it?" June asked him.

"Lydia, she's a ghost, she likes to talk."

Cecil moved to the small door, he struggled to open it. It had not been used in many years. As he fought to open it, Aidan saw someone walk into the room.

"Oh, did Donny hurt you bad?" Lydia sung. She danced around the room, "He's looking for you, Aidan. There's nobody left alive, just the three of you. Or is that two?"

"Lydia, tell me, where is he?" Aidan gasped.

"She's here?" June asked him.

"Yes," Aidan snapped back. "Lydia, tell me where Donny is."

"No," she said with a stomp of her foot. "I'm not going to tell…you. But I think I will tell Donny where you are. He said I can watch, he's going to kill you over and over. He said Vampires make the perfect victims. He'll be able to kill you again and again and again…" she madly chanted as she whirled out of the room.

"Cecil, hurry," Aidan told him. "Lydia's getting Donny."

Cecil didn't know what to believe, but from the frantic tone of his voice, he guessed that if Aidan was a vampire, than ghosts may exist too. He kicked and punched the door until it finally splintered. He pulled the pieces of wood out until the hole was large enough for them to go through.

Rushing back to June he helped her pick up Aidan. They pulled him to the opening. A sour breeze wafted up from the shaft. Cecil picked Aidan up, he wanted him to go first. He had no idea what shape the shaft was in, he thought better to let the vampire go through first. Putting him in feet first, he pushed him into the shaft.

As Cecil was putting Aidan in the shaft, June searched the shelves in the room. She picked up several vials and needles and stuffed them in her sweater's pockets. She then rushed over to the shaft. She was about to climb in, when Cecil stopped her. He listened intensely, he could hear Aidan sliding down, seconds later he heard him stop, then he heard Aidan shout. "I'm down."

Grinning, Cecil picked June up and helped her get inside the shaft. Lying on her back, she tucked in her arms and held her breath. As she slid down the chute, she saw broken cobwebs lazily drifting above her head. In seconds she reached the bottom of the chute. She would have kept sliding if Aidan hadn't stopped her. His arm reached out and pulled her to the side. The shaft ended at a ramp, it led further into the basement.

Seconds later Cecil was coming down the chute. June stopped his slide. Getting up he searched the area. He found they were standing in a very long corridor. On one side was a ramp that led deeper into the basement.

"That's where the bodies were taken to the incinerator," Aidan gasped. He held his leg, his head lay back on the cold stone wall. June examined the wound, it had opened up. "Aidan, you're hurt bad, isn't there anything we can do to help you?"

Aidan looked up, his eyes turned dark unconsciously as he said, "The only way I can heal quickly…is to drink blood."

"Yeah, that's not about to happen," Cecil said.

He saw June slowly pull up her sleeve. "You're crazy! Let's go June," he pleaded. "I know you like the guy, but that's to much to ask. Let's go, leave him here. He's just slowing us down."

"No, Cecil he helped us. He knew how to get away from Donny. If he's at full strength he can stop Donny, kill him." Pulling her sleeve higher she whispered, "Besides, I can't stand to see him suffer, no matter what he is. I'm not leaving him here to let Donny finish him off, I could never live with myself."

She stuck out her arm, "Will this help you?"

Aidan didn't hesitate. Grabbing her arm he dug his teeth deep into it. He began to suck the blood from her, she gasped as she felt the sting of his teeth pierce her skin. She was horrified at first, but then in seconds she began to feel good.

Cecil watched in horror as Aidan drank from June, after several seconds he dragged her back. "That's enough," he growled. Aidan lay back, his mouth was covered in her blood. Licking his lips he contently smiled. June carefully opened the bandage on his leg. She stared at the wound, she couldn't believe her eyes, she saw it actually begin to close up.

"Cecil, it's working, he just needs more." She looked up at him. "Please Cecil, he just needs a bit more."

Cecil slowly shook his head, "I'm not letting him do that to me. Princess let's go, he's a vampire. They kill, why do you want to help him? He's not one of your puppies you found on the streets, he's a killer."

June looked at Aidan. "I know that, I've always known that." She continued to stare at Aidan. "But I could see something else in him, Cecil. Some good, deep inside, maybe when he became a Vampire a part of his humanity did not die. I don't know how to explain it, but I think…I think that is what I fell in love with."

Aidan stared up at her, she could have left him many times, but she didn't, she refused to leave him. "I don't need your help," he told her. "I can handle myself." He struggled to stand, but the wound was not fully healed, he could hardly walk, nevertheless run.

"Oh Cecil," she cried. "We have to help him. Don't you see, he's the only one strong enough to stop Donny."

He knew she was right, but that didn't help to wash away the fear he felt clutching his throat. Slowly he rolled up his sleeve. Squatting in front of Aidan he stared into his black eyes. He looked up at June, "Before I do this, I just need to talk to him about something, private. Okay 'cuz?"

"Sure," June said. She stepped back and looked up the shaft. She was happy that he agreed to help Aidan.

Cecil whispered to Aidan, "Before I do this, I want you to promise me something." He pointed to June. "I want your promise that you'll get her out of here alive. I don't care what happens to me, but she's my cousin, I told her father that I'd look out for her." He stared at Aidan, "How old are you?"

"Almost two hundred years," he replied.

"Then you lived in a time where a man's word was his bond." Cecil stuck out his hand. "I want your word that you'll take care of her, make sure she gets out of here alive. Give that to me and you can have all the blood you need." Looking back at her he said, "You can have it all, if you'll make sure she gets out of here alive."

Aidan didn't know what to say. He did need the blood to heal, but asking him to watch out for a human. That was something he'd never consider.

When he saw Aidan hesitate, Cecil tried to appeal to the bit of humanity that June insisted still existed. "She's family, didn't you have family once? Didn't you care for them once, was willing to give your life for them? That's all I'm asking. Just look deep inside, if June is right, and she usually is, then I appeal to what's left of your humanity. Please, give me your word that you'll look out for her. Help her get out of here alive."

Cecil's words brought back a memory to Aidan of his wife, and son. A happy memory, a memory that he had held onto the day he was changed. A memory that fought to not be forgotten. This day, this minute that memory was not so faint, not so deeply buried. Slowly Aidan brought his hand up, Cecil tightly gripped it. He silently shook his hand as he began to pull up his sleeve.

"I have your word then. You can take what you need."

Grabbing his arm, Aidan plunged his teeth deep into Cecil's wrist. He sucked hard, Cecil's blood was delicious. He was stronger than June, he wanted more, needed more. Cecil wanted to tear his arm away, but he didn't. If he took all his blood, he would not fight him. He would do anything to save June.

Aidan slowly pulled back, "That should do it," he sighed. Putting pressure on the twin punctures Cecil stood up. He saw the wound on Aidan's leg actually begin closing up. In minutes all that remained of the wound was caked blood. Using the back of his arm, Aidan wiped the blood from his face. Standing up he took in a deep breath.

"Are you better now?" June asked him. She moved back to them. "Are you going to be alright?"

He saw the same look she had given him from the first day he met her. It was a loving look. Even with the knowledge of what he was, what he could do to her. She still was infatuated with him. He jerked his head in the direction of the shaft. "If we go that way, it will take us to the incinerator room. There's a door there that leads out to the back of the sanatorium. We should be able to…"

"There you are," Lydia sighed. She suddenly appeared in front of Aidan. "Oh Donny is going to be so happy I found you." She quickly popped out.

"Damn her," Aidan cursed.

"Was it that ghost again?" June asked him. She searched the room.

"Yes, and she's telling Donny where we are. She can show him another way into the shafts. We have to go now before he finds us."


	16. Sacrifices and Promises

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Sixteen

Sacrifices and Promises

With the wound healed, Aidan quickly led them down the corridor. June was surprised with how long it was. It hadn't been used in years. It was covered in half a foot of dust and dirt. They finally came to the end of the corridor. It opened out to a large room. On one side, she saw a huge furnace. Her eyes turned away when she realized it was used to cremate tuberculosis victims. She was thankful the lights still worked here. Aidan rushed over to the other side of the room, she heard him shout a curse and slam his hand against the door.

"Damn it," he shouted. "I can't get it open."

"I think I know why," Cecil said. "A few weeks back I heard someone say they talked to a guy that was welding doors shut. To keep the inmates in, it must be welded on the outside."

Aidan angrily banged his fist on the door, "We can't go back."

Cecil saw a dent left in the door from Aidan's fist. "Are you strong enough to break it down?"

Aidan stared at the dent, "It's going to take time, but I may be able to, if we really have to."

They all spun around when they heard a loud crash echo behind them. "I think we have to," Cecil said.

Aidan pounded on the door, the dent slowly began to grow, but it was taking to long, he knew he would never get it open in time. Cecil knew it too. He grabbed June and pulled her to the door. "Listen to me, I want you stay here with him, June."

"What are you going to do?" she cried, knowing his answer.

"I have to find a way to slow him down," he told her.

"Cecil," she sobbed. "He's going to kill you."

"June, I have a job to do, stop him from leaving the Sanatorium. I also made a promise to your father that I would watch out for you."

"Aidan, I'm holding you to your promise," he shouted, as he ran out of the room. "Get her out of here, alive. Or I'll haunt you all your unnatural life."

June watched Cecil disappear into the darkness. Aidan continued to work on opening the door. He finally felt it buckling, and then they heard a scream that filled the room. Aidan slammed his hands into the door, they began to bleed but he ignored the pain. He gasped in joy as one hand went through a large crack in the door. Pushing his hands through, he pulled on the opening until it was large enough to go through.

"Come on June," he said, "We're out of…."

He never had a chance to finish his sentence, he jumped back as something large and heavy slammed into the door, breaking it open. June shook her head, she started babbling, "No, no, please god no. Not Cecil."

Cecil's broken body crashed through the doorway. He turned and looked up at June. He was just lying outside of the building. "Princess, get out of here," Cecil gasped. He saw her tear stained face fade. Then he was suddenly standing, he looked around. He was in shock, his body lay bloody and beaten as his feet.

"Dead, I'm dead," Cecil said. He stepped back into the building to stand by June's side.

"I warned you not to mess with me," Donny told Cecil. "Now you're just as dead as the others."

Lydia danced to Cecil, "Thanks Donny, now I have another one I can talk to." She skipped around him, "I always liked you, Cecil. Now you can see me."

Cecil saw a young black girl skipping around him. Aidan slowly began to walk towards the door. He flinched when something came flying towards him, it was the furnace door. He had to jump back as it nearly took his head off.

"Oh no Aidan, that's not how it's going to work," Donny told him. He tightly held a wooden stake in his hands.

"Now it's just the two of you, I finished the others off to quickly. But you, I'm going to take my time killing the both of you. And now I have an audience." He smiled at Cecil. His smile slowly began to fade as he touched his side. Aidan could see blood forming on his shirt. "Have to say, you put up a good fight, Cecil." He grunted and stumbled forward, clutching his side. "Yes," he gasped. "A good fight, better than most."

Aidan could hear the weakness in Donny's voice. Before he died, Cecil managed to wound him, perhaps mortally. Aidan looked at June, "When I charge him, you get out of here, you hear?"

"Aidan," she hissed. "I'm scared, I've lost Cecil, I don't want to lose you too." She faintly felt something grab her arm. "It's Cecil," Aidan told her.

Cecil tried to grab her arm, but it passed through. "Get out of here," he shouted to her. She could swear she faintly heard him. She slowly nodded her head.

As soon as she nodded Aidan sprinted to Donny. Pulling his hand back, he hit him full force in the chest. He hit Donny where Cecil wounded him. Donny roared in pain and dropped the wooden stake he held. Aidan kicked it away just as Donny's large arms wrapped around him.

"Please get out of here, June," Cecil cried out. She was still standing near the door, watching Aidan fight Donny.

Aidan slammed Donny on the ground, he rolled around with him, kicking and punching him. Donny ignored the pain, all his life he trained himself to ignore pain. They rolled around the room, stopping at a table. On it sat several rusty tools. Donny searched for something to use against Aidan. Gripping something metal, he pulled it up and plunged it into Aidan's side.

Aidan clutched his side, he tried to pull the object out but Donny only shoved it in deeper. He grinned madly as he stood up, dragging Aidan with him.

June watched in horror as Donny plunged a large pair of rusty scissors into Aidan's side. She saw him stand up with Aidan tightly clutched in his arms. She had to do something to help Aidan. Then she remembered the medication she took from the room. Fumbling in her pockets she pulled out two vials and a syringe. Her hands shaking in fear she filled the needle and taking draws out of both bottles. She looked at Donny, he was gripping the handles of the scissors. He was manically pulling them in and out, the joy on his face when he would hear Aidan scream was sickening.

June gripped the needle, she ran to Donny. His attention fully on Aidan he never saw her coming. Jumping on his back, she plunged the needle in his neck. Feeling the pinch Donny immediately released Aidan. June pushed down the plunger of the needle. As soon as the plunger hit bottom Donny's large hands grabbed her. He pulled her in front of him, his face just inches from hers.

"You stupid bitch, you think you can hurt me?"

"This stupid bitch," she panted, "just killed you."

Donny could already feel a fire rushing though his veins. Screaming in rage he flung June towards the work bench, her back hit it and she fell to the ground. Aidan struggled to pull the scissors out of his side, he heard Lydia crying.

"She ruined it," she sobbed. "Ruined it all, he promised he was going to give me more ghosts to talk to. You lied!" Lydia shouted to Donny, as he stumbled to the floor.

Cecil stood over him, Donny looked up, he was able to see him more clearly now. He clutched his heart, it felt as if it was bursting out of his chest. He found he had to fight for each breath. "Stupid girl," he gasped. "I wasn't suppose to die like this. At the hands of a stupid girl."

Cecil smiled at him. "Just think, Donny. My cousin is going to be known as the one that ended the miserable life of Donny Muerte."

Donny found it harder to breath, it seemed to catch in his throat. Looking to the side, he saw June laying near the bench her eyes just stared right into his. "I told you to leave him alone," she softly said. "You won't be hurting anyone anymore."

Donny's face flushed cold, he stared up at the ceiling, closing his eyes he was surprised to find he no longer felt pain. Opening them he was shocked to see him laying on the ground, his dead eyes staring up at him. Looking around he realized that he was dead. Cecil was now standing next to him. His dark eyes angrily glared at him.

"You're unholy quest has ended," Cecil told him.

"No it's not," Donny said. "I'm free of this place now, I'll go wherever I want." He ran to the broken doorway. He gasped in shock when he was flung back. He slammed his shoulder into the doorway again and again, but he could not go through.

"_And when we die, you keep our souls in here_," Lydia sung. "That is the secret of the Carroll," Lydia softly said as she walked to Donny. "If you do not have a door to go through, you are imprisoned inside of her walls…forever."

Aidan slowly stood up, he pulled the scissors out of his side. Grunting, he laughed. "You should have listened to the song," he told Donny. "The ghosts of this place told me long ago, told me Carroll's dark secret. She was built to house the sick. So many died here that she soon began to keep their souls within her concrete walls. If you don't go through your door, you're stuck here, Donny. A prison within a prison."

"Noooo!" Donny wailed. "Damn you Aidan." He ran to Aidan, but harmlessly moved through him. "The lion has been defanged," Aidan tiredly sighed.

"Donny, now I have you to talk to," Lydia said, with a giggle. Donny tried to pick up his body, but his hands uselessly moved through it. "I can't die," he roared. "Not now, not now." He turned and ran down the hallway, Lydia followed him.

Cecil immediately went to June, he saw her looking up at Aidan. "Aidan, tell her she was fantastic."

Aidan fought to stand up straight, the scissors had punctured a lung. But already he could feel it healing. He stumbled to where June was laying. "Cecil said, you were fantastic."

June sadly smiled, "I had a good teacher."

Cecil stared at his body. "Now what?" he softly said.

"You're not stuck here, Cecil, like Donny." Aidan told him. "You died outside of The Carroll. You have the choice to stay here, go through your door or just leave."

Cecil saw a door begin to appear. He looked at Aidan, "You kept your promise, you watched out for her, thank you. Guess you are a man of your word, or a vampire. You know what it's like to protect family."

"Yes, I did," Aidan softly replied.

Cecil stared at the door, "There's nothing to keep me here now." He looked back at June. "Tell her goodbye, and that I loved her very much."

"June, Cecil says goodbye, and that he loved you very much," Aidan said.

"I love you too, Cecil," June cried.

Cecil stepped up to the doorway, he easily walked through. He walked into the bright corridor happy that at least June made it out alive. He softly began to sing, "_When you turned and walked away, That's when I want to say…_" as the door slowly closed.

Once Aidan saw the door fade away he faintly heard June softly sing, "_Come on baby give me a whirl, I want to know if you'll be my girl_."

Spinning around he saw her sadly looking up at him. Slowly she began to stand up, but Aidan also saw that she was still sitting on the ground. He realized that it was her ghost standing up. Her body was on the floor. He saw a large red stain in the center of her chest. Running to her, he pulled her forward, he saw several of the tools embedded in her back. Gently he sat her back, he closed her beautiful green eyes. For the first time he noticed that she had the most beautiful green eyes.

"I had to hide it from him," June said. "I didn't want to let him know. He would never leave me, but I'm trapped in here, he isn't, I couldn't do that to him."

Aidan saw her smiling at him. "Why," he asked her. "Why did you do it? Why did you risk your life for me? You knew I was a vampire, a killer, like Donny. Why did you help me so many times?"

June sighed, she smiled lovingly at him. "Because I saw something in you Aidan, something worth saving. I know I was a fool for falling in love with you, but even after all that's happened, I would still tell my heart that it was not wrong."

She looked at a door, her door. "I couldn't let Cecil know, that I would never be able to join him. There is something I still have to do."

Aidan saw her door begin to fade away, she was not ready to go. He stepped up to her, "If you want, I'll stay with you, for a while. But once this is all over, I'll have to leave."

"I know," June said. "But do you promise that you'll come back to see me again?"

"Yes, but I won't be able to stay long."

"That's okay," she stared at her body. "I have all the time in the world now."

"I stayed for a week with her," Aidan told the others. He looked at Josh and Sally, "And when I left, I carried a small piece of her with me, her belief that something in me was worth saving." He walked to the hole in the floor and looked up to the night sky.

"They, well they woke up a bit of my humanity that day. Something that I thought had died long ago. It was tiny at first, but it grew through the decades. More and more I would want to know what it was like to be human again. To have a family, friends. It grew until that fateful day I saw a sad looking werewolf being beaten in an alley."

He smiled at Josh, "From then on, well you know what happened."

"Poor June," Josh said. "And you've visited her through the years?"

"I try to see her at least once a year."

"That's where you went last spring." Josh said with a sigh. "And now Donny found a way to restart his quest,"

"Yes, we need to stop him for good this time." He looked at Randal, "We have enough stakes now?"

Randal held up a bag, "Should be, I made some javelins too." He pointed to a pile of wooden javelins. Aidan picked them up, "Let's go guys," Aidan said. "We can take them back to the room and wait until morning. The sun should be rising soon."

They carried their homemade weapons out of the room. The last one to leave, Aidan stopped at the door, he could swear he heard something. What was it…was it a harmonica? Shaking it off, he left the room.


	17. The First Showdown

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Seventeen

The First Showdown

Going back to the storage room, they hid there until morning. It was almost seven when Josh suddenly jumped up, "Guys, guys, something's going down." He was eating a candy bar tucked away in his backpack as he watched the I-pad, flipping from camera to camera. He stopped when he saw the possessed ghost hunters walking through a hallway on the fifth floor. They were in the left wing of the Carroll. What Josh noticed was the way Donny suddenly stopped. He carried a large piece of broken wood with him. The other possessed ghost hunters carried crude knives and wooden stakes.

"He has to be looking at the vampires," Aidan said. Josh frantically searched for the thermal camera on the floor. Switching it on, he saw it was positioned at the far side of the hallway, opposite of where Donny was standing. Just in front of the thermal camera he saw four blue shapes.

"Looks like a showdown, Tex," Josh said.

Sally strained to see what was playing out on the I-Pad over Josh's shoulder. "I don't know who to root for, the bad guy or the bad guy."

"Let's hope it ends in a draw," Aidan said. "With major causalities on both sides."

Josh turned the volume up on the camera. They watched in silence as the deadly confrontation played out.

Donny had been searching most of the night for Aidan and his friends. He heard noises coming from the building, but was unsure where they came from. He now searched the left wing of the sanatorium. It was where the nurses and doctors in the thirties lived. In the sixties, it was used strictly for storage.

Walking down a dark hallway, they suddenly stopped. Four Vampires stood at the far end. Lydia happily danced between them. She stopped and clapped her hands in joy. "Oh Donny, there's more vampires here. They must be Aidan's friends. You got your wish, you get to kill again."

Donny slowly smiled, he tightly gripped the stake in his hands. It was time for him to see just how strong this body was. "Confuse them," he told several ghosts walking with him. "Let them know that this is our land, and they're the trespassers."

Eight ghosts moved closer to the vampires. They taunted them, but the Vampires just ignored them. They saw six humans in front of them, all of them were thirsty from searching for Aidan most of the night. This was going to be a treat for them.

Separating, they swiftly rushed the humans. Two of them grabbed a woman and man in the group. The ghosts inside were to frightened to fight back. They instantly left the bodies. Weakened from the possession, they fell to the ground. The humans screamed in agony as they were attacked. Their bodies were dragged into the shadows of the hallway, to be quickly drained.

Donny remained in the center of the group, keeping them in front of him. He held his stake, searching for a way out of here. He did not want to let go of his body.

One of the ghosts stared at the vampires, he was envious of the others. He wanted a body so bad, he was hungry to know what it was like to feel again. He saw what he thought was an opportunity. He quickly ran to one of the vampires. Reaching him, he moved right into the Vampire. Instantly the Vampires stopped attacking, as the room was filled with not one but two inhuman screams.

The possessed Vampire clutched his chest, he was in pain, horrible agony. He felt something inside of him, something that clutched his heart. The ghost struggled to maintain his hold on the Vampire. As soon as he entered him, he began to feel excruciating pain. He fought to control the Vampire, but being dead already, he was finding it nearly impossible.

The Vampire held his fisted hand up, "I can feel," the ghost grunted, using the Vampire's voice to speak. "It's pain, but I can feeeel!"

"Am I seeing things?" Sally said. They all stared at the I-pad, one of the vampires suddenly began to appear. Once the ghost entered him, he was visible to the camera.

The vampires fist slowly fought to go down, "Get…out…of…me," the vampire grunted. There was a battle being raged inside for possession of the Vampires body. The other vampires had no idea what was happening. They heard their companion screaming, but could not see the cause of his pain.

Then they saw a change, his body began to wrinkle and dry up. Both the ghost and Vampire were soon exhausted as they fought for control. Seconds later a large spark exploded in the room as they both separated. Old light bulbs turned on for a second before they shattered into a thousand shards. The ghost flew down the hallway, landing next to Donny. The Vampire fell to the floor. Panting hard, he had never experienced such pain in all his life. The others gasped in horror. His body was wrinkled and dried out, as if he had not eaten in years.

"It looks as if that ghost sapped all the energy out of him," one of the vampires said. "Sucked him dry."

Donny looked down at the ghost, he was transparent, his eyes were twisted in pain. "You hurting?" Donny asked the ghost.

"Oh god, it hurts so bad," the ghost moaned. He clutched his stomach and rolled into the floor, disappearing. "Interesting," Donny said. Glaring at the remaining Vampires he shouted, "You want some more? We'll take you all down. That's one, that leave's the three of you for the rest of the ghosts." He jerked his head at the Vampires, "Go get them," he told the ghosts.

At first they refused to go, they saw what possessing a vampire did to their companion. But the remaining vampires was sure that the other ghosts would try to possess them too. In true fashion of their kind, they ran away, leaving their weakened brethren behind.

Donny slowly walked up to the fallen vampire. He kicked him with his toe. His body felt hard to him, it was as if he was drained of whatever life was in him. The vampire was ravenous, his throat felt as dry as sand. He reached out for Donny, who instantly jumped back. Squatting just out of his reach, he grinned when he saw him crawling towards him.

"You look might thirsty, guess you'd like to have a taste of this." He pulled the sleeve back on his shirt. "Come on, come and get it." As the vampire lunged towards him Donny plunged his wooden stake into his heart. The vampire dusted away in a flash once the stake penetrated his body. Slowly standing Donny waved the dust from his face. The Vampires managed to kill two humans. Now only four remained.

With Aidan's friends here, his plans now changed. He needed to find a way out of here. Worriedly looking around, he spotted a camera sitting on a table.

He noticed that it moved, someone was working it. Walking up to it he said, "I don't know if you can hear me, Aidan, but they won't stop me." He pointed to the camera, "I…I'm going to find you and your friends," Grinning wickedly he said, "After I'm done cleansing them, I'm leaving this place. I got my Ace in the hole." He slapped his chest, "In this body I can finally leave the Carroll, nothing is going to stop me, you hear Aidan. Not your Vampire friends, or your werewolf, nothing!"

Spinning around he stormed out of the room. He had to put on a brave front for the other ghosts. Right now only one thing mattered, he needed to get this body out of The Carroll alive.

"What the hell just happened?" Aidan shouted. "He was visible to the camera, how did that happen?" Aidan was worried, never in his entire life as a vampire did he see a vampire on a photo or camera. Yet he saw one appear on the I-pad.

"You saw it," Josh said. "That ghost just tried to own the vampire, and lost big time." Josh shook his head, he nervously drew his fingers through his hair. "I don't know what happened, maybe when they merged the ghost changed something in the vampire. Who knows why we can't see you, but we can see a ghost."

"My god," Sally gasped. "I didn't think we could do that. He looked like a mummy, it was as if the ghost just drew out all his energy, and then released it when they separated."

"I think you're right," Josh said. He was checking the camera on the I-pad. "Any bulbs left in the room blew up, the thermal camera died."

"What about the other camera?" Randal asked. "It was still working."

Josh began to pace the small room. "The only thing I can think of that could have saved it was that it might be sitting on a metal table. It grounded it"

"The only good that came out of that," Randal said. "Is one less vampire, and two less possessed hunters."

"Yeah," Aidan said. "And I never saw Donny look so scared. He has a way out of here, but it's threatened by Mother's vampires. He's going to be careful now, very careful." He pointed to the I-pad. Josh had it tuned into the monitor room on the first floor. The Thermal camera showed a blue figure sitting in front of the monitors. "Even if Donny kills the rest of the vampires, we still have Mother to contend with."

As Donny stomped away, Mother stared at monitor showing the empty room. Standing up, she kicked one of the chairs sending it flying across the room.

"Someone tell me what the hell just happened?" She looked to a young vampire named James. He was just recently initiated into the fold, he knew how to use modern devices.

James quickly stepped up. "Those are the ghost hunters," he explained.

"I know that," she angrily hissed. "What I want to know is why one of us was visible to the camera?"

She pointed at the monitors. "Can you play that back, what's been recorded."

"Yes, Mother." James clicked on several commands. "I just need to find the right recording." He searched through the recordings on the hard drive. When she saw a figure walking in the darkness of the third floor she told him to stop. "I think I know how to use it now."

James bowed, and walked back. She motioned for him to stand on the other side of the monitors. When she was sure only she could see what was being played back, she pressed the command to continue. She stared at the monitor, her eyes turned dark when she saw Josh step up to the group of humans. She immediately knew what that meant, he could only be here with the help of Randal. Now she had him to contend with, as well as Aidan and the remaining ghost hunters. She had no idea how she was able to see a vampire on the monitor. In all her years of existence that had never happened.

Closing the recording, she called James to come to her side. "Listen to me, you must let the others know what happened in that room. Tell them not to allow a ghost to enter them. Find the ones that were there, I want to know exactly what happened. Also, you may find Randal has now joined Aidan. My orders are that he is to be killed instantly."

"Randal, Mother?" James asked him. "You want him killed?" This order seemed strange to him. From the first day he became a vampire he was told that Randal was Mother's oldest assistant.

Mother slowly nodded her head. "Aidan has corrupted his mind, I fear that he must be eliminated before Aidan's disease goes further. Also…" she softly said to him. "Aidan's dog is somewhere in here. I want you to tell the others that if they find him, he is not to be killed. He is to be brought to me alive, understand?"

"Alive Mother, but why?" James said. "It's just a stinkin' dog."

The look she gave him actually made him cringe, he had forgotten himself. How dare he question Mother.

She reached up and tightly gripped his arm. Her nails dug deep into his flesh. "He is change, James, a change that I will not tolerate. I need to send a message to other vampires that may have been corrupted like Randal. That message will be, I will not tolerate any friendship with any but our own kind. Aidan will be forced to witness the example I will make of his friend, before I end his life."

She released her hold on James. Clutching his arm, he bowed at the waist, "Yes Mother, I'll do it now." Hesitating he asked, "Do you want me to call all of them? Even…," he cleared his voice. "…'_Them'?_"

"I said everyone!" Mother shouted.

Bowing again, he moved to a corner of the room. Taking out his cell phone he began to call the group leaders to let them know Mother's new orders. He was thankful that Mother allowed him to live.

Mother brought up the recording of Josh. As she watched, she recalled when she drank his blood. She could still taste his hatred for his wolf, his battle to fight the change. Of all the wolfs she drank, Josh made her feel the strongest. She was not going to loose this one, one way or another, even if it meant killing all the vampires she brought with her. She was walking out of this place with Aidan's dog…alive!


	18. Making a Choice

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

Chapter Eighteen

Making a Choice

Josh searched the camera's on the ipad, but was unable to find where Donny had gone, or the vampires. After what they just saw happen with Donny, they would try to wait it out in the storage room as long as possible. It was almost eleven, eight hours before the moon rise, yet already Josh was feeling uneasy. Then he remembered something.

"Aidan, if I picked the best night for you to drink my blood, tonight would be it."

"What's so special about tonight?" Aidan asked him.

"It's a super Moon."

Aidan and Sally gave him curious stares, but Randal knew exactly what it meant. "It's when the Moon is at it's closest to the earth."

"Randal, you passed that test with flying colors," Josh said. "The moon will be at the perigee of its orbit. It happens once a year. But this year, it's the closest it's been in a long time. My wolf could wreck some serious damage."

"So this could be a good thing?" Aidan asked him.

Josh began to touch his forehead, he quickly pulled the bandage off. "It's healed," Sally said. With the moon so close to the earth, Josh was feeling stronger than he'd ever felt before. He picked up a javelin and threw it at a wall, it spun through the air and landed deep in the wall. Josh grinned from ear to ear.

He quickly began to pack the ipad in his backpack. "Aidan, this is a very good thing. Now I can help you guys fight off Mother's Vampires. From what I've seen now is a good time to leave. I've traced most of the vampires on the first, third, and fifth floor. Donny hasn't been seen since that incident this morning. I think now is the perfect time to start making out way to the basement. We all agreed that's the best place I can safely make the change."

They spent most of the night trying to think of a place for Josh to make the change. It was decided that the huge metal furnace in the basement would be the best place. They quickly dismissed the idea to use the chutes to go to the basement. After fifty years, they feared they would most likely be unsafe. Getting to the basement would mean taking the long way. Aidan picked up several of the javelins that Randal made and handed them to Josh.

"As I said before…" Aidan said.

"Yeah, yeah," Josh said. "Make sure I hit the right Vampire." For the first time he felt like he was an asset to the group. He grinned widely as he held the javelins.

Sally left the room first, drifting through the closed doors. Seconds later she returned telling them that there was no sign of vampires or the remaining four humans or even a ghost. Since Josh fell through the roof, they seemed to stay away. Once they left the room Aidan took the lead, he guided them down the stairs.

The fifth floor did not have a connecting hallway to the center building. That was located on the fourth floor. They made sure Josh and Sally were kept at the back of the group. They really had no idea where the ghost hunters camera's were located. They did not want to chance having them show their location to Mother. When a camera was found, Josh would avoid moving in front of its lens. Sally just appeared on the other side.

It was slow going, but at least they were making some headway. Then they came to the old reception room of the hospital. It was the one that Donny attacked Aidan over fifty years ago. Aidan had to stop, he saw someone standing in the room. It was June, she was looking sadly at him. She slowly stepped up to them, stopping at Josh.

"So, you are Josh, Aidan has told me so much about you. I feel as if I know you."

Josh bowed his head to her, "I'm pleased to meet you, June."

"Yes, a true gentlemen, like you said, Aidan." She glanced down the connecting hallway to the center building. "Lots happening in there Aidan, lots of bad things. Never seen Lydia so happy, and sad." She looked at Sally, "It's a shame she told Donny about your problem."

Sally tried to avoid her eyes, if it were not for her 'problem', Donny would not be in a position to continue his killing spree.

"Have to say, your Josh has caused quite a stir here too, with his promises. Something that you've never been able to keep, Aidan." She sadly looked at Aidan. In all the years he visited her, he made a point of avoiding the other spirits.

Josh saw several ghosts begin to appear in the room. The old man and woman with the baby slowly walked towards him. "Sorry, for scaring you," the old man said. "But we've been here for so long, we just want to rest. Aidan, well we've given up asking him for help. But even though you're a werewolf, I think you can help us find our doors." He suddenly appeared next to Josh, "Didja mean it, your promise to help us, Wolf?"

Josh saw several more ghosts begin to form in the room. He had no idea how many were trapped in the Sanatorium. "The name is Josh," he told the old man.

The old man grinned, "Floyd's the name."

Josh nodded a greeting. "First off I want you all to know that I never break a promise. I swear, if I don't end up joining your group by tomorrow morning, I'll try to do my best to help you all get your doors. I can't promise to do it in one day, or a week. But I will continue to come here and help you all."

"Me too," Aidan said. He looked at the other ghosts in the room. "I'm sorry for ignoring you in the past. That was a different me. I give my pledge to help all of you find your doors."

The woman with the baby began to cry, "That's all we wanted."

"G…good luck, with Donny and the vampires," Floyd whispered, afraid to say his name aloud.

Josh could see the fright in the old man's eyes. Even though he was long dead, Donny still instilled fear in those around him. "Thanks, Floyd."

"Let's go guys," Aidan said. "We need to get to the basement."

As they began to leave, June suddenly appeared in front of Sally. "Aidan, he told me about your problem." Sally saw them look back, they stopped and waited for her. She was finally with someone that she could relate to, they hoped she would be able to find some answers talking to June.

"I'm scared," Sally told her. "Scared that I will lose my sanity the longer I'm a ghost. How did you hold onto it?"

June sadly smiled. "It is a battle that all ghosts here face, because we died here, we are trapped inside. We don't have the luxury that you do, being able to leave your haunt. I have to admit, some of the ghosts have gone insane. They wander the halls of the Carroll, madder than when they were alive."

"That's what I'm afraid I'll become. I almost did, if it wasn't for Aidan and Josh. In the past year we had grown so close together. I now think of them as if they were family. They stood by my side, when times were bad. They fought to keep my memory alive. I'll never forget that."

June's eyes brightly lit up, "Then you know my secret. I held onto the memory of my friends, my loved ones, and Aidan. He did keep his promise, he visits me every year. I keep the madness away, knowing that I have to be here for him. You see he carries the guilt of my death with him. I did not see it at first, but then it happened. I think it was just after he met Josh. I saw a change in him, it was always there, but making friends with Josh, it finally brought it out."

She looked back at Aidan, he still looked the same as the day she first saw him so long ago. If she had a heart, she knew it would be fluttering. "I know we can never be together, but in my heart, we always will be."

She pointed to Sally's chest, "That is what keeps you sane, Sally. What keeps you grounded, never forget that. When times are bad, and I can see that they still are, always remember that. When we die, emotions are all that are really left of us. We have to choose which ones we want to keep, and which we let die."  
>"What does that mean?" Sally asked her.<p>

June slowly began to walk away, "That's for you to decide Sally, just as we are all unique, we have to find our own way, ourselves. No one can do that for us…" she began to fade into the darkness, her voice faded as she said, "…no one."

Sally softly whispered, "Choose what emotions live or die?"

"Sally, you coming?" Josh called out.

"Don't go," Scott said. He was standing between them. "Sally, I'm scared, there's to much here. So many things can go wrong. I can't let something happen to you, if you die so do I. Go now, let them take care of their own problem. After tonight they might just be joining June." He disappeared, standing behind her he said, "Sally, let's go. We can have the house all to ourselves. If they do succeed, they'll come back. What can you do here anyway, you're just one ghost."

"Yeah," Sally said. "But I'm also something else." Spinning around she said to Scott, "I'm also their friend, and friends don't turn their backs on each other, no matter what."

Smiling at him, she blinked out, and appeared next to Josh. "Let's go."

"Got any answer's?" Josh asked her.

"More questions than answers, but," she saw Scott slowly begin to fade away. "I'm working on it." As they walked through the connecting hallway, Josh looked back. "You know, the other ghosts didn't even offer to help us."

"They're to scared," Aidan briskly replied. "They've had to exist here with Donny for fifty years. He's got them all frightened of him."

"It's a shame," Josh tiredly sighed. "It would have been nice if we had some more help."

Sally also glanced behind. She saw the looks they gave her. They knew what she was capable of doing to them. She saw the fear in their eyes. It was not just Donny they were afraid of, it was also her.


	19. A Dangerous Shortcut

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

Chapter Nineteen

A Dangerous Shortcut

Once they entered the center building Josh made sure to keep a close eye on the iPad. They moved down long hallways that twisted and turned throughout the building. They came into an open area. One wall had large openings where windows used to sit. Josh stopped walking, he hissed, "I can hear someone coming."

Aidan quickly led them down a hallway into a huge room. In the room were broken toilets and stalls lining one side, on the other side were showers. Above them the ceiling had rotted long ago. Open pipes dripped water. The floors were slippery from a recent rain. The smell here was so sour Josh had to pinch his nose. They ran to the far side of the room, climbing out a window, they sat down on the rusty fire escape.

Looking down Josh could see that the fire escape below them had broken years ago. Under the landing they were sitting on, the ground was four stories below. Aidan peeked through a shard of glass in the window, he froze trying not to make a sound. At least a dozen Vampires were walking into the room. His hands fisted tightly as he saw two Vampires dragging three bodies. It was three of the ghost hunters, but not the ones that were taken before. That left one, the one possessed by Donny.

Dropping the bodies in the showers, Aidan heard a moan. The humans were still alive. "Lunch," one of the vampires said.

Four vampires pounced on the three humans and quickly began to drink their blood.

"Hey," one of the vampires shouted. "Leave some for us."

Josh turned his back. He covered his ears, trying to block out the cries of the humans. Aidan fisted his hands tighter, he could smell the blood from where they hid. Randal knew exactly what he was feeling, he whispered to Aidan, "Block it out."

Aidan tried to think of something else. He stared at the twelve Vampires, that was to many for them to fight and win. They would have to sit and wait until the Vampires left. Unfortunately, it turned out that they would have a longer wait than they wanted. Once the vampires finished feasting, they lay in a stupor in the room. Some of them even feel asleep. So they waited, and waited. Nearly four hours later they were still waiting.

"Well this is great, I'm wolfing out on the fire escape," Josh whispered. "I guess it's better than a refrigerator." Josh nervously bit his fingernails. Looking down he said, "I wonder if wolves are afraid of heights?"

"You're not going to change here," Aidan said.

Suddenly Josh felt something drip on his forehead. In minutes they were sitting in a torrential rainstorm. He covered his backpack that held the iPad with his body. "Perfect, I'm wolfing on the fire escape in the rain," Josh sighed. He hugged his arms over his body and shivered. Noticing the rain not affecting the others in his group he grumbled, "Really beginning to hate being the only one alive."

"We need to do something soon," Randal hissed. "We only have a little over three hours until the moon rises."

"I can try something," Sally offered.

Before they could protest, they heard a banging sound coming from inside the building. Then someone faintly shouted, "Hey guys, Aidan want's to know if you're going to hide in there all day or do you want to play?"

The Vampires quickly got up and ran out of the room. The banging and shouting continued, it led the Vampires away from the room.

Aidan and the others quickly climbed back into the building.

"Who the hell was that?" Josh said. He began to wring the water from his jacket.

"I guess some of the ghosts here did decide to helped us," Aidan said. He checked his watch, "But we wasted to much time sitting on the fire escape." After they worked on getting their clothes as dry as possible, Aidan led them out of the bathroom.

"I need to take a short cut to the basement. I was hoping to avoid it." He sprinted down a dark hallway. Coming to the end, they found themselves standing on the balcony.

Josh stopped once they entered the balcony. He stared in shock at the countless beds filled with not one but three or four spirits layered on top of each other. "My god," he gasped. "I can feel their agony, their pain."

"Repeaters left very strong emotions, that's why I wanted to avoid them," Aidan explained. "Just try to block them out, this will get us to a set of stairs leading down to the next floor."

He swiftly moved down the open porch. Josh tried to stare ahead, but his eyes kept returning to the repeaters. He shivered as a strong breeze blew in, moving past his wet clothes he felt as if he was freezing. He continued to walk fast, he felt his hands start to shake. He thought it was from the cold, but the emotions here was so thick he felt as if he were walking through mud. Feeling wetness on his cheeks, he realized he was crying. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he struggled to keep walking. But he was finding it more difficult to do. Then he stopped at a bed. In it he could see a woman, a young man and a child. The child couldn't have been more than ten.

He could hear them coughing, and struggling to catch their breaths. Josh slowly walked to the bedside. Touching it, he was suddenly overcome with the emotions left in the room. Each memory touched him, each cough, each gasp for breath. Because of the coming super moon, Josh was more sensitive than ever, he was like an antenna picking up every emotion locked in the room. Clutching his chest, he felt his lungs burning, his throat drying. Falling to his knees he began to gasp for air. He then started coughing, and once he started, he couldn't stop.

He looked ahead and saw Aidan and the others still walking. They could not hear him coughing, it was lost in a sea of coughs from the repeaters. Josh tried to speak, but the coughing would not allow him. Slowly he began to fall to the floor. Hugging his knees he coughed and gasped to take a breath. He was going to die here, and no one would know.

Aidan moved swiftly down the row of beds. He hated it here, the pain left by the tuberculosis victims was always thick and heavy. As he walked past the beds, he faintly felt a darkness descend in the room. He had to jump when a large branch blew in from the window.

"That storm just won't let up," Randal said. He saw that dark clouds were swiftly moving over them.

"Just our luck," Sally sighed.

Aidan continued to walk down the balcony, once again he had to stop as one of the beds collapsed, blocking his way. Blaming the wind and age, he shoved it to the side. He was about to start walking again when in the distance he could faintly hear a song playing. First a harmonica, then the words, _"Hey, hey baby…."_

Spinning around he saw something begin to appear next to a broken window. The song played loudly now. A black shadow began to form into the shape of a human. In seconds it turned into a man. He was standing in the room, as real as Sally.

Randal pulled out his crossbow, he pointed it at the man. He was a large man, in his early thirties. He stood just in front of a broken window. Dead leaves blew through him.

"What the hell else do I have to throw at you, Mount Rushmore?" the ghost said. He pointed behind Aidan. "If you don't get him out of here soon, he's going to die."

Aidan looked back, Josh was no longer behind them. He ran down the balcony. Randal and Sally by his side. He suddenly stopped when he heard someone gasp, "Aidan."

Josh struggled to breathe, his lungs burned with every breath. He was already seeing stars. He tried to call for Aidan, but it just came out as a gasp. He lay his head on the cold floor, it felt so good. He continued to cough, as he took in a deep breath he felt someone pulling him up. With each cough, he dragged in his breath. He was pulled down the hallway

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Aidan shouted to Randal. They where moving past the beds. The ghost that appeared pointed to the repeaters. "He's connected to them. You need to get him out of here, NOW!"

Randal and Aidan dragged Josh down the balcony. His coughing was so bad they had to carry him. Aidan worried that he might collapse a lung. Coming to a doorway, they pulled him through it. They didn't stop running until they could no longer hear the repeaters coughing.

They gently lay him on the floor. Already they could see a change, his coughing began to slow down, until he stopped. Laying on his back, Josh took in a deep draw of air. For just a brief moment he experienced what those poor souls lived with most of their lives.

When the coughing spasm finally stopped, he said in a hoarse voice, "Aw man, it's getting to really suck being the only one alive here!"

Aidan patted Josh on the chest, "Have to say, never thought that'd be something you'd complain about."

Once they placed Josh on the floor Randal kept his eye trained on the ghost. Feeling the coughing spasm finally passing, Josh slowly stood up. "I'm okay, now this is just a suggestion, but let's not go that way again."

Aidan agreed, "Sorry, I didn't know it would affect you that way."

Sally stared at the ghost that walked through the door. "Now that Josh is better, you want to tell us who the hell is that guy?"

Aidan pointed to the ghost, "Guys, I'd like to introduce to you an old friend, Cecil Glenn."

Aidan didn't know how he did it, but Cecil was back. Cecil crossed his arms, glaring at Aidan he said. "I guess you're surprised to see me."

"June never mentioned you were here," Aidan told him.

Cecil angrily glared at Aidan, "And I want to keep it that way."

"When did you…?" Aidan said.

Cecil tiredly sighed. "It was after you left the sanatorium. I came back because I failed, I did not protect her. And after finding out how she hid her death to me, well I had to come back. Since I died outside of The Carroll I could come in and out of her, I was not trapped like the others. I've been here ever since, moving around the Carroll, or hiding in the shadows of her walls, watching out for June."

Cecil sadly smiled, "I saw how happy she was with your visits, and how sad she was when you left."

He angrily crossed his arms, "I would have stayed hidden, if you and your friends had not caused such a stir in The Carroll. Having her invaded by a squad of Vampires out for your head, and getting Donny back in the flesh. He was the deciding factor to come out of hiding. He was part of my 'unfinished business' you know."

"Great," Randal said. "Just what we needed another ghost in a house of ghosts."

"Yeah, but this one is different," Aidan said. "This one knows the building, and he's willing to help us."

"Um," Josh said. He stepped up to Cecil, "Where exactly did you go, when you died? I mean I've always been curious about where the door leads. You see I just lost someone close to me."

Cecil cryptically grinned at Josh, "Sorry, you'll have to find that out for yourself."

"We could use your help," Aidan said. "How much do you know?"

"Let's see, you're friend here is a werewolf. The Mother of Vampires needs his blood to keep up her 'Mother' status, but only just before he wolfs out. You're here because you ran off with her daughter, which made her look really bad. Now you're stuck in here with Vampires after your ass, as well as Donny. Did I get that straight?"

"There's a thing with Sally," Josh said. "But we won't get into that." He whispered, "Not enough hours."

Cecil looked at Sally, his brows furrowed in anger, "You do have a darkness connected to you. I heard Aidan, when he told June about what you did to the other ghosts."

"Did you?" Sally said in a small voice. She tried to hide behind Josh. For the first time she actually felt embarrassed with her 'problem'.

Cecil looked into her eyes, "Don't worry, I'm not here for that. Donny is why I decided to appear. It was my job to keep him here. I died doing just that. And I won't stop until he's a spirit once again, trapped in the Carroll."

"Okay," Cecil said, he rubbed his hands together. "I can help you with Donny, but I'm not sure about the problem you have with this 'Mother' and your friend here. Mother sounds like someone that should have been dragged through a door centuries ago."

"Can you do that?" Josh asked him.

"There's lots of things that can be done, and undone," Cecil briskly replied. He stared at Josh, "You know, when I was alive I had a hard time believing that Aidan was a Vampire, and that there were ghosts. But werewolves? He shook his head. "You'll forgive me if I find it hard to believe your body actually changes into a wolf."

Josh rolled his eyes, "This coming from a guy that's been dead over fifty years."

Cecil glanced back at the balcony. "Where exactly were you going?"

"The basement," Aidan said. "We planned on Josh making the change there. We were using the balcony as a shortcut after a run-in with vampires."

"When was the last time you were in the basement?" Cecil asked him.

Aidan looked down, he softly said, "When you and June…died."

Cecil looked around. "I haven't been down there either. Hey, while you wait for Josh here to recover, why don't I just pop down and see what shape the incinerator furnace is in. It has been fifty years."

"Sounds like a good idea, Aidan." Randal said. "We need to know if that furnace is still strong enough to hold Josh's wolf."

"I can go with him," Sally offered. "I'll know if it will hold him."

"Go ahead," Aidan said. "Cecil knows where to go, you can follow him. We'll wait for you here."

Sally and Cecil quickly blinked out. Josh took in a deep breath. "He seems like a nice guy."

"Yeah, let's hope they don't run into…"

"Vampires," Josh moaned.

"Yes," Aidan said.

"No," Josh said, he dropped his stack of javelins on the floor. Picking one up, he pointed it behind Aidan, "Vampires."

Aidan spun around. Behind him were eight vampires. Their dark eyes angrily glared at him. Their mouths opened as they bared their fangs. One of them took a step closer. His dark hair was slicked back in a ponytail. He nodded a greeting, "Hello, Aidan."

"Hello, Oscar," Aidan returned.

"Oscar?" Josh said. "Man I would have changed that name once I became a vampire."

"The adults are talking," Oscar growled to Josh. "Keep your yap shut, mutt."

Aidan grinned at the Vampire, "He did change his name, his real name was Aloysius."

"Oh yes," Josh nodded his head, "Good move, Oscar the vampire is much more scarier than Aloysius."

Oscar took another step forward, "Put a muzzle on him, Aidan or I will!"

Josh tightly clutched the javelin he was carrying, "Why don't you try doing it yourself."

Randal stepped up to stand next to Josh. Oscar grinned at him, "Hey Randal, just got a new order from Mother. Seems as if you got on her bad side. I've been given the okay to dust you."

Randal hoisted his crossbow on his shoulder, "Let's see how well you fill that order." Randal knew releasing that bolt would start the war to bring down Mother. They needed to win this battle, to show Mother that they were serious, that they were a force to be reckoned with, and they would not stop until she was taken down.


	20. And a Bolt flies in the air

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Twenty

And a Bolt flies in the air

The bolt flew in the air, Oscar immediately ran to Josh. He always hated werewolf's. Even though Mother gave the order not to kill him, he had to let it know that it needed to know its place.

He stopped running when Aidan blocked him from getting to Josh. "Fine," he said. "Then I'll take care of you first." He lunged towards Aidan. His face was a mask of rage. He always heard that Aidan was the best, now was the time to prove it. Aidan came at him with a vengeance. He slashed, and clawed at him. It was all Oscar could do to stop him. He quickly realized that Aidan was stronger than him, he may just lose this battle. He arched his back as something sharp was shoved into it. The wolf was standing behind him holding a javelin. He was able to pull it out by spinning around. He grabbed the javelin from Josh.

"Not helping," Aidan shouted to Josh.

"Sorry," Josh quickly replied. He ran back to his stack of javelins. Oscar pointed the javelin at Aidan, he bared his fangs. Oscar hissed at Aidan, he lunged the javelin forward, poking it at Aidan. Aidan sucked in his stomach, he jumped back to avoid the javelin's sharp tip. Looking up, he leaped in the air, and grabbed a large exposed pipe. He swung over Oscar, landing behind him.

Spinning around the vampire was furious. Aidan knew this would be to his advantage. An enraged Vampire can not think straight.

He waited for him to make the next move, until he heard a shout from Josh. For a split second Oscar was forgotten. As Aidan searched the room for Josh, Oscar didn't hesitate. He rushed Aidan, calling for one of the other Vampires to help him.

Hearing the shout for help, Aidan returned his attention to Oscar. He only had seconds to react, as he saw another vampire rushing towards him. He immediately saw that this one must have faced Josh, a wooden javelin was sticking out of his chest. Jumping in the air, he kicked out at the javelin, pushing it through the vampire.

Rolling around him Aidan quickly grabbed the javelin and pulled it out of the vampire. Spinning it around, he finished what Josh started. The vampire roared in agony as he saw the javelin's sharp point come out of his chest. Falling to his knees he dusted away.

Still holding the javelin, Aidan pointed it at Oscar, they were now even. Instead of fear, Oscar wore a smug grin. "Oh I ain't going out that way, Aidan," he said. "You know me, I always have a back-up plan." Laying back his head he let out an ear piercing whistle.

The bolt flew through the air, Josh held a javelin in front of him. He saw Oscar running towards him. Bracing himself, he waited to confront him, until Aidan ran between them and began to fight. Josh ran to them, he lunged forward and stuck the javelin into the attacking vampires back.

The vampire spun around so fast, it was a blur to Josh. He managed to pull the javelin out and grab it from Josh's hands.

"Not helping," Aidan told him.

"Sorry," Josh cried out. He was just trying to help. He ran back to his pile of javelins and picked one up. He searched the room, Aidan was trying to avoid being stuck with the javelin Josh managed to give Oscar. He was about to join the fight when he saw two Vampires run around Aidan and Oscar.

Josh began to back up, he jabbed the javelin at them. Even if he did manage to kill one vampire, that left the other. They began to circle Josh, taunting him.

"Aw, look at the brave doggy standing up to us," a tall, skinny vampire said.

"Remember what Mother said," a muscular Vampire said.

"I know," the skinny vampire grumbled. "But I've always liked teasing the mutts. It's a thing."

The skinny and muscular Vampire both charged Josh. Josh chose to use the javelin against the skinny one. He pulled it back and lunged forward. The skinny vampire screamed in agony as Josh plunged the javelin into his chest. Josh shoved it forward until he actually felt it coming out on the other side. Unfortunately, Josh just missed the Vampires heart. It was injured, but it was not a deathblow.

The injured vampire spun around, as he tried to pull the javelin out. Once the vampire was impaled by the javelin, the other Vampire was on Josh in a blink. He wrapped his arms around him. Hugging him tight the Vampire laughed as Josh struggled to get free.

"Aw, you're just a puppy. Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you." Josh fought to break from the hold, but the Vampire was to strong. He squeezed him tighter. "Stop it I say! I don't know why, but Mother wants you back alive. But I'm not one to question her ways. If she wants you, then I'm the one whose going to take you to her."

Josh jerked in the hold of the Vampire, as he slowly began to drag him out of the room. He became frightened when he saw he was being taken back towards the balcony. Already he could hear the coughing and wheezing of the repeaters.

"N…no, don't, I can't go there, not there, Aidan!" Josh shouted, but Aidan could not help him. He planted his feet on a column and kicked back. He tried to force the Vampire back, but he was to strong. The vampire moved forward, pushing Josh against the column. Josh quickly realized that he was stronger than normal. He remembered what Ray told him, how they were stronger on the day of a change. With the super moon coming, he was the strongest he would ever be.

"I'm sick and tired of the disrespect I've gotten from your kind," Josh grunted. "You thought this 'puppy' was going to be easy to take. Well you just picked the wrong day to mess with me." Taking in a deep breath, he jerked his head back, smashing it into the face of the vampire.

He immediately released his hold on Josh. He grabbed his face, as Josh spun around to face the Vampire.

The Vampire looked down at his hand, it was covered in blood. "You broke my…," he wasn't able to finish his statement as Josh pulled his hand back and punched the vampire in the face. The Vampire fell on the floor. Josh jumped on him, he began to punch the vampire repeatedly. He felt good, he was winning, he was beating this vampire and he was winning! Then his high came down when he heard Oscar let out an ear-piercing whistle.

The bolt flew through the air, Randal managed to hit one of the vampires square in the chest. The vampire clutched the bolt, in seconds he puffed away into a pile of dust. Randal tried to reload his crossbow, but he would not be fast enough. Already two other vampires charged towards him. He quickly pulled out a knife and held the bolt in his other hand. He pointed it at the vampires as they advanced towards him.

"Really hate doing this, Randal," a woman vampire said. "You've helped me many times, it's a shame you got on Mother's bad side."

Randal held his stake in front of him. He slowly moved in a circle. He saw Aidan swinging on the ceiling, and Josh actually facing two vampires. Sally and Cecil were not in sight. He returned his attention back to the two vampires he faced. "Bina, you don't have to do this, just walk away. By morning Mother will no longer be our leader."

Bina had to laugh, "Roy, you hear that? Randal said he's going to be the new ruler of the vampires."

"I'm not saying that," Randal said. "I don't want any part of that. Mother's been our leader long enough, it's time for a change."

"Oh really," Bina said, "And what, Aidan's the one that's going to dethrone her?"

Randal slowly nodded his head, "If all goes as planned, yes."

At the corner of his eye, Randal saw Roy moving to his left side. He reacted in the blink of an eye. He swiftly ran to Roy, the young vampire had only a split second to react. He spun around, slashing his knife in the air. He managed to catch Randal on the arm, but it was not quick enough. Randal's aim was true, he plunged his stake into Roy's chest, he was willing to accept the hit as long as he was able to give the killing blow.

Randal knew that Bina would be instantly on him. He braced himself for her assault. It came with a howl and a flurry. She slammed into him, Randal stumbled back. She slashed her blades back and forth. Randal tried to block the killer blows with his knife. The blades sparked as they clanged together. Randal slowly backed up, he saw Aidan and Josh were beginning to lose their battles. He had to find a way to defeat Bina.

The one advantage he had was that he was the one that taught her how to fight. He could anticipate all her moves. But he could not hold her off forever, hearing Josh cry out to Aidan for help distracted Randal enough that Bina took full advantage. She slashed her blades on the hand that held the knife. Randal dropped it.

Bina pounced on Randal, she lashed out with the knives, his large hand was able to tightly grip both of her hands. Bina tried to pull free. "You will not hold me for long," she grunted.

"Not long is all the time I need," Randal said. His other hand plunged inside a pocket, he pulled out something from it, and lashed out at Bina. She screamed as he whipped something across her eyes. She immediately dropped her blades. She fell back, rubbing her eyes.

"You've blinded me," she gasped.

Randal held up the rope he made from past wolves. Kissing it he whispered, "Thanks guys."

Grabbing the knives, he booted Bina to the floor. Holding the blades crossed against her throat he said. "Tell me why I shouldn't just cut your head off?"

Bina struggled to see. Her eyes stung so bad everything was a blur. "Randal," she panted. "Please, don't kill me. I'll tell you something important, that Mother would not want you to know. If I do, do you promise not to kill me."

"Depends on what you're going to tell me."

Bina whispered to him, "The Lupe's are here."

She felt the blades begin to move back. "You don't have much time, Randal. They're just waiting for Oscar to call them. Once he does you only have a few minutes."

Randal was about to pull the blades back when he heard Oscar let out an ear-piercing whistle.

"That's the signal," Bina told Randal. "They're coming, get out of here while you can."

Randal immediately stood up. "Leave, before I change my mind," he told her. She stood up, he pointed her to an exit, and she stumbled away.

Randal ran to Aidan shouting, "The Lupe's are coming!"

Aidan saw a large grin blossom on Oscar' face, "That's right Aidan, you must have really pissed Mother off for her to get them to come here. Took some real doing, you know how much they hate Mother."

Aidan threw the javelin away, he knew this would be useless against them. He ran to Josh. He was surprised to see him sitting on an unconscious, bloody faced vampire.

Josh quickly stood up, from the look on Aidan's face he guessed that the whistle was not a good sign. "We need to get out of here," Aidan said. "NOW!"

Randal suddenly appeared by his side, "We only have seconds," he told them. Aidan had to think fast, he knew they could never stand up to the Lupe's.

"Wish we were back home," Josh said. "I'll never complain about the leaky faucet again."

Aidan joyfully laughed, "Josh, you are a genius."

"Well I know that, but…"

Josh gulped as Aidan grabbed him by the hand, "Josh I want you to know that everything I own is yours, is that understood, everything. Do you accept it?"

"O…kay," Josh hesitantly said. Aidan shook his hand, "Then it's done." He pulled Josh up by and began dragging him out of the room.

"Where are we going?" Josh asked him. He swept up the javelins on the floor as they passed them.

"Home," Aidan replied.


	21. The Lupe's

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Twenty One

The Lupe's

Oscar watched Aidan as he ran out of the room. "Go ahead Aidan run, you can't hide from the Lupe's for long."

Aidan knew he was right, there was no stopping them when they were on a hunt. He suddenly skidded to a stop when he heard a mad howl that seemed to be coming from everywhere.

Josh's eyes went wide in fear, he hugged the javelins to his chest. "What the hell was that?"

"The Lupe's," Randal whispered, afraid to speak louder.

"Who are they?" Josh asked. "Wolf assassin's?"

"Not they," Aidan said, he quietly began to sprint down a hallway. "It's more of a him."

"And a her," Randal added.

Hearing another howl, Aidan moved to stand behind a large column. Randal began loading his crossbow, even though he knew it would most likely be useless.

"Which is it?" Josh hissed.

"He was one of Mother's mistakes," Aidan softly said. Squatting down on the floor, he searched the hallways. They were hidden behind two columns, the position they were in they could keep an eye both ways. Randal and Josh squatted next to him.

"Gigantic mistake," Randall added.

"She didn't know at the time," Aidan said. "But he was insane when she changed him over five hundred years ago. She thought he'd be a good companion for Suren."

Randal chuckled, "Boy was she wrong."

Hearing a howl that was to close for comfort Josh softly whispered, "What exactly was wrong with him? Paranoia, schizophrenia, psychotic, manic depression?"

Aidan nodded his head, "Yes."

"You mean all of them?" Josh blurted out.

"One other little thing," Aidan said. "Split personality." Aidan nervously grinned at him. "Mother found out after the fact that there was a Lupe and a Lupita. We just call them the Lupe's. They are the most crazy, insane, degenerate, Vampires on the planet. They're ruthless killing machines, no remorse at all. They'd kill an entire village for a laugh."

Josh looked at the crossbow Randal carried, "Why don't you use it against them?"

Randal shook his head, "They're extremely paranoid, think everyone is out to kill them, which they are. They always wear body armor. Nothing can penetrate it."

Josh glanced at the javelins he still hugged to his chest, "Guess these are useless." He dropped them to the floor.

"Aidan," a woman's' voice called out. "Sweet-cheeks, it has been a long time. Why don't you talk to me anymore? You've been a very bad boy."

"Sweet-cheeks?" Josh said.

"She's always had a thing for me" Aidan reluctantly admitted. "But Lupe, he wants my heart on a pike."

"That would make an interesting date," Josh mumbled.

Aidan looked down the hallway. He could see a silhouette at the end. He saw the head lay back and another howl filled the hallway. "Oh, I smell wolf, I want to play with it," Josh heard a man's voice say. "Lupita, can I play with it?"

"No my hermano, remember Mother said not to hurt the wolf. Do not worry Perrito," Lupita said. "We will not harm you. Where we come from, our name means wolf."

"But sorry Randal," Lupe called out. "Mother said she wanted us to permanently end your employment with her." What shocked Josh the most was that two different voices came from the same place.

"How dangerous is he?" Josh asked Randal.

"Think Assassin, Amazon, Barbarian rolled together. With a lot of Resident Evil sprinkled in."

Suddenly they heard a whistling sound. Aidan and Randal immediately covered Josh. One of the concrete columns they were standing behind exploded. Large pieces of concrete flew in the air slamming hard into Aidan and Randal. As concrete dust filled the air, Randal and Aidan jumped up. With Josh in tow, they sprinted down the hallway.

"I thought you're not suppose to hurt the wolf," Josh shouted as he ran.

"Oh but you're still alive, Perrito," Lupita said, with a taunting laugh.

"Aidan, please give us some sport," Lupe shouted. "It's been so long since we've had a good hunt."

Aidan ignored Lupe's remarks, he knew they had only one chance of surviving an attack from them. He hoped they could get there before the Lupe's caught up with them.

"Josh, tell Randal, that he's always welcomed to your home," Aidan shouted

"Thanks, Aidan," Randal panted, "But now is really not the time to…"

"Tell him!" Aidan said.

"Randal, you're always welcomed in my home," Josh said. "But Randal's right, now is not really the time."

"Oh it's time," Aidan said. Rushing through the halls he said under his breath, "Now is definitely the time."

Josh tried to keep up with Aidan and Randal, but they were just to fast. As he took in a deep breath, he felt something wrap around his ankles. Pulling his feet together he fell to the ground with a grunt.

"Oh no, Aidan!" Josh shouted. He quickly pulled his backpack off as he fell and threw it towards Aidan. Spinning around on the floor he tried to find something to hold onto, but he was being pulled to fast.

Hearing Josh cry for help, Aidan spun around. He saw Josh throw the backpack at him as he fell on the ground. In seconds he was dragged into the shadows. Randal quickly ran to pick up the backpack.

Aidan stood by his side, "Damn it," he cursed. "I had a good plan."

"We had a plan?" Randal panted.

"Yeah," Aidan said. "It's not perfect, but it would have worked."

Randal looked ahead, "What are we going to do?"

"Remember, Mother gave the order not to kill him. Fortunately for Josh, Mother just loves his blood."

"Yes," Randal said. "Let's hope the Lupe's follow her orders."

Josh dragged his hands on the floor, in seconds he felt hands grabbing him. The rope around his feet was pulled up, and wrapped quickly around his hands. He was pulled up to sit next to a column. In seconds he was literally hog-tied. His knees were forced into his chest. He looked up and saw a young man smiling at him.

"Yee haw, got that doggie tied in record time," Lupe cried out.

Josh stared up at the man. The first thing he noticed was that he was a very handsome man. He had long black hair, his wide brown eyes stared at him. He was dressed in black. Josh saw every conceivable weapon and then some, hanging on a bandoleer. On his hip hung a gun in a holster.

Josh saw Lupe's face suddenly change, his eyes softened, he pulled his long hair forward. He clapped his hands, and joyfully laughed. "I'm glad you kept up your roping skill, Lupe," Lupita said. "I miss the days of the old west. No marshal could stand up to our quick draw." She drew out the gun in a flash. Josh could immediately tell that it was specially made. It looked like a six gun, but its barrel was much larger than normal.

Lupita gently smiled at Josh. "Don't worry perrito, we will not harm you." Lupita's voice was high pitched like a woman's. She gently stroked Josh's face with the muzzle of the gun. She felt him shake under her touch. "Oh, are you frightened of me?"

She shoved the gun back in the holster. Josh saw her dark eyes open wider, Lupe frowned at him. "That's a good thing," he said in a deep voice. He stared at Josh. "I heard you're one of Randal's wolves." He searched into the darkness of the building. "He used to give them to me to play with. Then one day, he wouldn't let me have them anymore."

He tightly fisted his hands, "I miss playing with the wolves. They gave me more sport than a human." His dark eyes stared right into Josh's soul. "That's why after we give you to Mother, I'm going ask her if I can have you back when she's done with you. It's been a long time since I had a pet."

Josh once again saw the face change, he could see a difference on his face when it was Lupe or Lupita talking. "Now, now Lupe, don't tell him everything, we need to keep some secrets to ourselves."

"Yes, Lupita, you are always right," Lupe sighed with resignation. He stared at Josh. His head tilted to the left then the right. "You have the saddest eyes, so sad." He angrily shook his head, "They remind me of our father. He was always so disappointed with me. He would lock us in the cellar you know. Said he was embarrassed that I was his son. He didn't want the villagers making fun of him for creating such a mistake. It was dark, and damp in there." Lupe hand's began to reach down. "I hated that cellar," he growled.

Josh gasped as Lupe suddenly grabbed his neck. "I told father how much I hated it." He stared into Josh's eyes, "I told you father, don't lock me in there again, but you wouldn't listen to me." His hands slowly began to squeeze Josh's neck. "Oh, but you never told me again," Lupe madly sung. "Yesss father, I taught you a lesson that day." He sighed as he squeezed his neck tighter, "On how important it is to breathe. Oh, it felt so good to feel the soft flesh under my fingers. To hear him gasping for breath, the bones breaking, I love that sound."

Josh choked and gagged, he could not breathe. He tried to kick his legs out, but he was tied up to tightly. He gurgled, "M…Moth…"

"Lupe, let him go, remember Mother's orders," Lupita said.

Lupe quickly released Josh, he drew in a deep breath. He coughed and gasped, as he filled his lungs with life giving air.

"I am sorry Lupita, sometimes I forget."

"You are forgiven," Lupita said. She stared at Josh as he tried to get his breath back. As he began breathing normal she gently stroked his face. "Let that be a lesson to you, if you don't do as we say I will let Lupe give you one of his special neck massages, comprede?"

Josh nodded his head, his throat was so sore he could hardly speak.

"Good," Lupita said. She began to untie Josh's legs. "I don't know how you did it, but since he met you, Aidan has changed. The Aidan I first met only cared for himself. Now it seems he cares for many others." She kept his hands tied, she jerked on the rope, pulling him up to stand. "The old Aidan would have been long gone by now. Fortunately for us, you are now his best friend."

She tightly wrapped the rope attached to Josh's wrists around her hand. "We go now, Mother is waiting for you. But don't worry perrito, Aidan will not be far behind." She patted the gun in its holster. "He will be catching up with us soon."

"And when he does," Lupe said. He pulled out the gun so fast it was a blur to Josh's eyes. In a split second Lupe fired off four shots. The bullets exploded into a wall. Quickly holstering the gun, Lupe jerked on the rope.

As Josh was dragged down a hallway he closed his eyes and prayed that the old Aidan would return and that he'd be long gone.

After checking out the basement, Sally and Cecil found the furnace to be in good shape. There was a bit of rust on it, but not enough to weaken it to an attack from a werewolf. In a blink they appeared back on the forth floor. They quickly realized that something bad had happened. Aidan, Randal and Josh were gone.

Two Vampires remained in the room. One was just waking up, the other was a woman.

"What happened, here, where are they?" Cecil demanded.

Bina ignored the ghost, she tried to help the vampire that Josh had beaten to get up. "I don't like being ignored," Cecil said. Sweeping his arm, a table moved towards the two vampires. It slammed into them, knocking them both down.

"I said, where are they?"

Sally was shocked, "How did you do that?"

"Being a bored ghost for fifty years, you pick up a few things."

Bina angrily shot up, "I do not listen to no stinkin' ghost."

She quickly had to duck as rusted tables, and chairs flew her way. Cecil waved his hands in the air, any object in the room now became a weapon he could use. Bina ducked and tried to slap them away, but there were just to many.

"All right!" Bina shouted, "Enough, I'll tell you." She pointed to her right. "They ran down that hallway. They're alive, but they won't be for long. Mother put an assassin on their tail."

"Why did you tell them that?" the injured vampire hissed.

"Just paying a debt to a friend," she replied.

As soon as Bina told them where Aidan went the furniture flying in the room fell to the floor. Cecil stumbled, Sally could see a weakness in his eyes.

"Sorry," he choked. "It takes a lot out of me. I'm glad she talked, I don't think I could have done that much longer."  
>"Will you be all right?" she asked him.<p>

"I'll be fine, we need to find Aidan and the others. Sally, you can go to them. Just think of Aidan or Josh."

Sally stared in the direction they ran. She concentrated on finding Aidan. In seconds she could 'feel' him. "Got him," she said.

Cecil grabbed her, "Then let's go."


	22. Making an Example

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Twenty Two

Making an Example

Once Cecil and Sally blinked out, they immediately appeared next to Aidan. They found Aidan was hiding in a small alcove. Randal was squatting next to him, they were staring at the iPad. Sally immediately realized that someone missing.

"Aidan, what happened, where's Josh?" Sally asked him.

"Sally," Aidan gasped. "Can you tell me that? I need to know where he is. We've been looking for him on the iPad."

Sally's eyes unfocused, she slowly nodded her head. "I can feel him, he's moving away from here."

"Where is he exactly?"

Sally pointed to Aidan's right. Instead of getting up Aidan continued to stare at the iPad. Sally realized they were focused on a camera located on the first floor. She saw a table covered in monitors. She was about to say something, until he heard an unearthly howl.

"What the hell is that?" Cecil hissed.

"The Lupe's," Randal said.

"I'll bite," Sally said, "Who the hell are the Lupe's?"

"Long story," Aidan said. "Fortunately we have enough time to explain."

"I'm sorry," Sally said. "Why are we just sitting here staring at an iPad? Why aren't we going after Josh?"

"The Lupe's," Randal and Aidan said together.

"We know they're bringing Josh to Mother," Aidan said. "And we know where she is. My advantage is that I know this place better than anyone. Once they bring Josh to Mother, they'll be back for me. That's when I'll be ready for them."

"For who!" Sally angrily shouted.

Randal explained to Cecil and Sally who the Lupe's were. All the time Aidan stared intensely at the iPad. He almost willed Josh to appear on it.

Once Randal explained who the Lupe's were and what happened to Josh, Cecil shook his head in wonder. "That's great, that's all we needed another psychotic to add to the pile."

Sally sadly shook her head, "Honestly, when this is done, I'm going to start writing a diary, or dictate one. That way I can read it later and say, 'It did happen' because right now, I'm really having a hard time believing it."

"Believe it," Aidan said. "Now we wait for the Lupe's to return."

"I think we have a new one to add to that crazy pile," Cecil said. "Are you crazy? Randal said they, them, him, I mean you just said he's a killing machine. The two of you can't defeat him."  
>"That's why I'm staying here," Aidan said.<p>

Randal nodded his head, "He's got a plan. It's not perfect," Randal said.

"But it should work," Aidan mumbled. "All I have to do is wait." As Aidan watched the iPad he struggled to remember every nook and cranny of the building. His previous plan could still work. He just had to find a way getting the Lupe's to play.

After staring at the iPad for nearly an hour, Aidan sadly frowned, as he saw Josh being dragged into the monitor room.

Josh was pulled down stairs, and through endless hallways. He saw ghosts as he was jerked past them. They stared in shock when the Lupe's snarled at them to get away. For a moment he stumbled and fell, but the Lupe's refused to help him. He was dragged on the floor until they reached a stairway. Josh quickly struggled to stand as he was pulled down the stairs.

It took the Lupe's nearly an hour to bring him to Mother. Several times they simply got lost in The Carroll's endless hallways. Josh glanced at his watch, 4:30. Two and a half hours left until the rise of the full moon. Aidan needed to rescue him in that time. Pulled into a large room Josh tensed up. He saw Mother sitting in front of a long table. On it sat many monitors. She stared intensely at each monitor.

Once he entered the room, her full attention was now on him. Josh's brows furrowed in anger as he saw the contented smile blossom on her face. Lupe pulled Josh in front of the table.

"We have him, Mother," Lupita said. "And we didn't hurt him, just as you asked. I have to say, it was difficult restraining Lupe." She softly said to Mother, "You know how much he loved to play with the perrito's."

Mother slowly nodded her head, "Yes Lupita, I'm happy that you were able to as you say, 'restrain' him." She looked behind Josh, "But where is Aidan? I asked you to bring him here as well."

Lupe bowed his head. "We knew how anxious you were to get his dog, Mother. Don't worry, he'll not be far behind. I could hear the concern he had for this one in his voice." Lupe crossed his arms across his chest. "It is a strange thing to hear from Aidan."

"Yes," Mother drawled. "Now that you have safely brought his dog here, I want you to find Aidan and bring him here as well, comprede?"

Lupe bowed, "Si, Mother. He should not be far behind." He held the rope that restrained Josh's hands. Mother brought her hand out. "I will handle him from now on, now go."

Lupita handed her the rope, "Yes Mother, we will be back soon."

Mother watched them rush out of the room. She tightly gripped the rope attached to Josh. Josh avoided her eyes as she stepped up to him. She had four vampires positioned in the room. She slowly walked back to the table covered in monitors. Josh kept his head down, he knew better than to try to start something now. Even though he had felt stronger than ever before a full moon, there were just to many vampires for him to take on, as well as Mother.

Mother sat down in front of the monitors. There was just one chair, Josh had to stand next to her. Mother looked around, her guards were concentrating on protecting her. She jerked on the rope, forcing Josh to stoop down to her level.

"Aidan may be able to hide from me, but you can not." She started a video on one of the monitors. Josh saw a recording of the ghost hunters talking to him.

"The only possible way you could have escaped, was with Randal's help." She sat back, "I've already given the order for him to be killed. I cannot have him telling other's my special secret."

Josh looked around, she was speaking loud enough for the vampires in the room to hear her. He instantly knew that they would soon be added to the 'causalities' of the Carroll. She slyly smiled at him. "I know why you're here. Tonight is a full moon, a super moon. You planned on having Aidan drink your blood, making him just as strong, if not stronger than me. You planned on him overthrowing me. But what you didn't know is that I've been preparing for this moment for a long time."

Josh could see the vampires in the room looking at each other. They had no idea what she was talking about. Mother reached up and slapped Josh hard in the chest, so hard he slammed into the table, several items on the table landed on top of him as he fell on the floor. Josh felt Mother pounce on him. The other Vampires stared at her, they knew better than to interrupt her, but was confused why she even bothered with this wolf. Mother leaned down, her mouth just inches from Josh's right ear.

"I've lived for thousand's of years, and I plan on living a thousand more. This is what is going to happen. The Lupe's will bring Aidan to me, with luck they will also kill Randal. You will be restrained here for the night. In the morning I will bring Aidan and you back with me, I need to make an example of him. You see Aidan actually did me a favor. When I kill him, and be assured that he will die. I will tell the other's that he became corrupted by making friends with a wolf."

"I will make a decree after his death that no vampire is ever to become friends with a wolf again. Thanks to Aidan, no vampire will get as close as he did to discovering my secret."

Moving to his other ear, Mother softly said, "As for you, I suspected that Randal may have betrayed me. I have existed long enough to foresee everything." She swiftly stood up, "Leander, it is time!" Mother called to one of the Vampires that was standing in a doorway. Nodding his head, he slowly walked to where the other three vampires stood. Grinning at them, he tucked his hands in his pocket. In a flash he pulled out two wooden stakes. He plunged them into two of the vampires, the third hissed at Leander. He tried to run out of the room. He stopped and spun around. He saw Leander holding a small crossbow he had hidden in his coat. The bolt that pierced the vampires heart was not big at all, but it was enough to end his life. The Vampire fell to the ground, slowly he dusted away.

Tucking the crossbow away, Leander sprinted to Mother. He was a large man, nearly as large as Randal but twice as wide.

"Did I do well, Mother?" Leander said with a bow of his head.

"Excellent, Leander, I think I chose very well."

Josh pointed towards the ex-vampires. "You plan on killing them all, all your vampires, even the Lupe's?"

Mother nodded her head, "Not all, perhaps the Lupe's can live, if they succeed in bringing me Aidan. Having you here will prevent Aidan from drinking your blood before you change tonight. He will not have the strength he will need to overthrow me."

Mother held up the hand that gripped the rope attached to Josh. "Leander, your time has come to replace Randal." Leander snatched the rope from her hand. "Yes Mother, I will guard him well." He pulled Josh close to him. Josh's nose wrinkled, the man smelled like something that died years ago.

Mother sweetly smiled. "Good, I will be needing you to keep him in check later, understood?"

Josh saw her looking at something lying on the ground. He squinted his eyes, in the darkness he could faintly make out something familiar. When he finally recognized what it was, he fought Leander as he began to drag him away from Mother. Lying on the ground was a large chain, it was attached to a stone pillar.

"Oh yes, Mother, I understand," Leander drooled, as he pulled Josh closer to the chain. For the past few months she had been training him for something very important. She told him that he would soon be replacing Randal.

He saw the rich life that Randal lived, he wanted to be a part of that for as long as he could remember. He pulled the wolf closer to the chain. She told him he had but one job to do, take care of her Phelan's. He would watch this one like a hawk.

Josh fought harder when he saw the collar attached to the chain. It was not the collar that Randal used on him, this one was different. This one had spikes on the inside of the collar. Leander shook him hard as Josh struggled to get away. Getting closer to the moonrise, Josh felt stronger. He was going to do what he could to keep from being chained like a dog again. He swung his hands up, slamming his palm hard into Leander's nose.

Leander screamed in agony, "Damn it, you broke my nose!" He threw Josh hard on the ground, knocking the wind out of him. Slapping a hand over his injured nose he shouted, "You're going to pay for that."

He quickly clamped the collar on Josh before he had the chance to recover. Josh shook his head, the spikes just touched his neck. When the wolf came, the spikes would cruelly bite into him. "You'd better make sure that chain is securely attached to that pillar, Leander," Josh said. "Because if it isn't, my wolf is going to rip your head off." Leander brought his hand back, Josh held his head up straight as Leander slapped him across the face.

Leander actually winced as Josh was prepared for the blow. Mother looked at Josh. She saw him angrily glaring at her, a look no wolf had ever given her. He even dared to disrespect his keeper. She knew it was due to Aidan's influence.

"Leander, as I said before, Randal was becoming too soft with my Phelan's. That is why I chose you. Please don't let me regret that decision. When we return to the hotel, I give you permission to wipe that defiance from his eyes."

Leander pinched his nose, a cracking was heard as he moved the broken cartilage back. He used the back of his sleeve to wipe the blood from his face. Slowly he pulled out something that hung on his belt. A loud snap was heard as he cracked a whip at Josh. Josh gasped as the whip bit into him. "You made the right choice, Mother. I look forward to creating a respectful Phelan for you."

Mother sat down on her chair. "That's all I ask, Leander."

"Yes Mother, I'll be ready." He jerked the chain that held Josh.

Mother resumed staring at the monitors. She sat back and relaxed. Confident that by morning she would be leaving with Aidan and his wolf in hand.


	23. The Plan

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Twenty Three

The Plan

Aidan's eyes grew dark as he watched the iPad. Randal had it tuned to the camera in the monitor room. The vampire's were not visible, but Josh was. Aidan saw him struggle to pull off the chain. Thanks to the Ghost hunters special equipment they heard every word that was said in the room.

"Leander," Randal said. "If I had to pick my successor Leander would have been at the bottom of my list. In fact he wouldn't even be on the list. That vampire is sadistic with animals. He especially hates wolves."

"That's why Mother chose him," Aidan said. "She likes to surround herself with weak hearted animals."

"What do we do, Aidan?" Sally said. "We need to get Josh away from her before he changes."  
>"No," Aidan said. "We have something else that needs to be done first."<p>

"The Lupe's," Randal said.

"They won't stop until Randal is dead and I'm lying at Mother's feet." He tapped the iPad. "Randal, how much can you do with this thing?"

Randal curiously looked at Aidan, "What do you need done?"

"I need to set the trap with some cheese."

Randal knowingly smiled. "I think I can do something about that."

Lupe sprinted through the hallways. He was not going to get lost this time. He needed to get Aidan to Mother before the moon rose. He didn't know why it was so important to her, but Lupe knew better than to question her. Climbing up the steps two at a time, he arrived on the fourth floor. He could almost feel Aidan on this floor.

He quickly moved towards the center. Coming into a large room, he was standing at a junction of several hallways. He was not disappointed with his hunch when he heard Aidan shout from a hallway in front of him, "Lupita, when are you going to get rid of Lupe so we can go out on a date?"

Lupita pulled out a small metal bolt and placed it in the barrel of her gun. "Aidan," she sung, "You know that Lupe and I are very close. To accept me, you have to accept him."

Lupita swung around when she heard Aidan shout from behind her, "Lupita, when are you going to learn, he's just dragging you down."

She pulled out a knife. "Aidan," she whispered. "I don't like games."

"Lupita," Aidan shouted from her left. "I'm offering you this only once, get out now and you'll live."

Lupita shot her gun, the bolt exploded at the end of the hallway. She quickly reloaded.

"I'll take that as a no," Aidan said from her right. "Sorry, but that was a one time offer."

Lupita fired off another shot at the last position she heard Aidan. Exploding at the end of the hallway, she saw a figure running in the light of the blast. She quickly followed it. "Aidan, you know better than to run from me," Lupita said. Turning the corner she saw him limping. She knew she must have injured him, he would be easy to catch.

"Oh Aidan," Lupita said as she began to catch up with him. "I really thought you'd be a much harder prey."

She easily caught up to him. Reaching out to grab him, she was shocked to find her hand going through him. Cecil spun around, "Actually you thought right," he told her, before disappearing.

"AIDAN!" Lupita shouted. "I told you I do not like games."

"That's right," Aidan whispered from where he was hiding. "So let's play some more."

Sally and Cecil suddenly popped in front of him. Cecil was carrying the iPad. "Great job," Aidan said. "Go to her left now."

Sally and Cecil appeared down a hallway to the left of the Lupe's. Sally pressed a finger on the screen of the iPad. She played out a recording that Aidan made earlier. "Lupita, where you'd learn to shoot, you missed me," Aidan's voice taunted her.

Lupita ran down the hallway, following the voice. She snarled in frustration as she realized she was back at the junction. Furious, she began firing her gun down each hallway. She stopped firing when Lupe came out.

"He is getting you angry on purpose," Lupe told her. "You know how you get."

Lupita began to circle the room. "He's always known what buttons to push."

"That's why I hate him so much," Lupe said. Reloading the gun he said, "Fortunately he doesn't know mine."

He stopped in the center of the junction. Holding his head up he began to sniff the air. Taking in a deep breath he searched for any scent. Finding one, he held up his gun. "Sorry Randal, but gotcha."

Holding the loaded gun up he slowly walked down a hallway to his right. As soon as he entered he fired. Randal heard Lupe coming towards him, but it was to late. He heard the shot a split second before it exploded in the wall next to him. Shards of wood and plaster flew in the hallway. He felt a burning pain in his shoulder. Grasping it, he ran down the hallway, keeping in the shadows. They were leading Lupe to a specific room, now it was up to Randal to get them there.

"Sorry, Randal," Lupe said. "When we first met, we really liked you. But you wouldn't give us your wolfs to play with anymore. That made us very, very mad."

Randal could feel his blood dripping on the floor. He was leaving a clear trail for the Lupe's to follow. He actually squeezed his injury to add to the trail.

Cecil suddenly appeared next to him. "To the right, down two then the left," he told Randal. "Aidan is trying to get there before you."

Randal nodded his head, he had to concentrate on running. The Lupe's were fast. He spun to the side when he heard another whooshing sound. The wall next to him exploded.

"Randal, you're only making this worse," Lupita scolded him. "Now hold still I hate wasting my special bullets. They're expensive to make."

Randal followed Cecil as he ran ahead. "Down two, then left," he chanted. He sprinted past two hallways then turned left on the next. Ahead he saw a huge open room. In its center was an enclosed room. Aidan told him it was originally built for the nurses that worked in the Sanatorium in the 30's. Right now Randal needed to get to it before the Lupe's caught up with him.

Taking in a deep breath, he ran to the room. At the corner of his eye, he saw Aidan running out of a corridor, and behind the nurses room. Reaching the room, Randal opened the door and ran inside.

He felt as if he walked back in time. The room was immaculate. Well furnished, it looked well out of place within the walls of the Carroll. Randal saw Cecil standing on the far side of the door, he quickly joined him. Behind him was a smaller door. Spinning around, Randal faced the other door. Blocking the second door, he moved his hand behind him and tightly gripped the doorknob. Taking in a deep breath, he waited for the Lupe's.

He found he did not have to wait long. He saw the door being pulled open. It swung open outside of the room. The Lupe's stood in the doorway. Lupita grinned at Randal.

"Randal, you know you can't run away from us." Randal nodded his head. "Before I kill you, I want you to tell us where is Aidan?"

"I'm tired of hearing you constantly talking about him," Lupe growled. "I'm sure Mother will not be disappointed with us if we bring back a pile of dust."

Aidan was quietly moving around the nurses station. He saw the Lupe's standing in the doorway of the room. Closing his eyes, he hoped that his plan would work. If it didn't Lupe would be getting his wish.

"As long as I live," Randal said. "You're never going to get your stinking hands on one of my wolves again."

Lupita frowned, "Before you die, I want you to know, when we leave this place we are taking Aidan's dog back from Mother. Oh wait, he was one of your wolves too. A bonus!" Lupita said, with a laugh. She held her gun up, "Now please hold still, as I said before, I hate wasting bullets."

"NOW!" Aidan shouted. He planted his hands on the Lupe's back and shoved them into the room. Randal quickly opened the door behind him and ran out of the room. As soon as he closed the door, he slammed his shoulder against it. Aidan did the same. They both held their door's shut, from inside they heard the most unearthly scream.

The Lupe's dropped their gun as they felt as if they were on fire. They clawed their faces as they tried to rip off their burning skin.

"What did you do!" Lupita screamed. "It burns, it burns so baaaad."

She fell to her knees, the pain was unbearable. She crawled back and banged her bloody hand on the door, but it would not open. "Please, let us out," Lupe begged.

Aidan had his back braced against the door. "You should have taken me up on that offer," he shouted.

When their cries began to die down, Aidan slowly opened the door. He saw the Lupe's lying on the floor, their skin nearly burned away. Their eyes staring up at him, "How?" they gasped in a raspy voice.

Aidan squatted in front of them just outside of the room. "When I first worked here, I made this place my home. Actually paid for it, the owner of the Carroll at the time sold it to me. I had her put in a small clause on her deed, it's always to be mine, even when sold to others." Aidan rapped his knuckles against the wall of the room. "But as of tonight, it has a new owner. Tonight I gave it to Josh. You can safely enter the Carroll, but this place is his now, and you need his permission to enter it."

"Please," Lupe rasped, "Let me out."

Aidan sadly smiled, "That's the first time I heard you say me." He saw the Lupe's eyes closing.

Randal slowly walked around the corner, "So that's why you told Josh to tell me I was always welcomed in his home."

"Yes, but I wasn't really sure it would work." Reaching inside, he quickly grabbed the Lupe's cell phone sitting in a slot of the bandoleer. He also grabbed their gun and several of their special bullets.

Randal laughed, "Well thanks for telling me that, now."

Aidan stood up. "You're welcome." He looked down at the decaying body, "Mother should have done that the moment she knew you were insane." He closed the door to his home in the Carroll. Keeping what was left of the Lupe's inside.

"Now that they're taken care of," Sally said. "Can we go get Josh?"

Aidan sprinted to an open window. Looking back, he said to Randal, "Coming?" Turing around, he jumped out the window of the forth floor. Bracing himself, he landed on a soft patch of ground. Seconds later Randal landed next to him.

"You know, we could have done that earlier," Randal said.

"That was never an option," Aidan said, "We had Josh with us."

Randal smiled, "He really is your best friend, isn't he."

"He's stuck by me when things got bad, I won't turn my back on him."

Sally and Cecil instantly appeared next to them. Aidan opened the Lupe's cell phone, he stared at a number in the address book. Its name was simply, 'Mother'.

"What are you going to say to her?" Randal asked him.

Snapping the phone shut, he stared at the Carroll. "Not sure yet, but I am sure that we're not playing her game anymore."

"Aidan," Randal said. "There's something you need to know. It's a secret I never told Josh. When he begins to change, you need to tell him that he has to fight it. The harder he fights it, the more he hates it, the longer he keeps the wolf away, the stronger you will become. That's why I was on the road for four months, I was searching for a special wolf. Mother found out long ago, that the wolf she feeds on must be one that fights the change."

"Thousands of years ago, it wasn't a problem. But with the coming of the modern age, the wolves of this generation welcome the change. A human that rejects his wolf has become so rare, well if it wasn't for Mother finding Josh, I wouldn't have had one for her to feed on before the four months were up. That's how long it takes for her to become normal again."

Randal grabbed Aidan's arm, "There's something else you should know, you must stop drinking when his jaw begins to change. That's the signal that means he's becoming a full wolf. If you drink from him after that, it will kill, you. You understand? Do not drink any longer than that."

"Got it," Aidan said. He never realized just how special Josh was.

"What's the plan then?" Cecil asked him. Aidan searched the area. "First, you lead us as close as possible to the monitor room. I'll let you know what I've figured out by then."

"Meaning," Cecil said. "You have no idea."

Aidan shrugged his shoulders, "Hey, I think better on my feet."

Cecil nodded his head, "Same here, it's over there."

"Good, then it's time to end this."


	24. Donny's Final Chance

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Twenty Four

Donny's Final Chance

Cecil swiftly moved around the Carroll, Randal worriedly looked up at the sky. Thankfully the rain had stopped, and the heavy clouds were beginning to move away. Looking at his watch, he could see that they had less than two hours until the moon rose. That's two hours to get Josh away from Mother, and get him to the basement so he could safely make the change.

Cecil led them to a side door. Opening it, they quietly moved into the building. They were standing in what used to be the kitchen. Huge cast-iron stoves were lined up on one side of the building. They were all a rusty orange, it had been decades since they were last used. Cecil took the lead, he moved to a far door. Motioning for them to stay, he blinked out. In seconds he was back.

"No one so far," he told them.

Aidan pushed the door open. He really had no idea where the ghost hunters set up the monitor room. "You know where she's at?" he asked Cecil.

"Yeah, it used to be the old music room," he told Aidan. "It's situated in the dead center of the Carroll. They thought it would be a good place to use as their 'center' of operations."

"Nice choice of words," Sally said.

They walked through several corridors. Coming to a double door, Randal pushed it open, he grunted as it stopped half way. He struggled to push it open, but it would not budge. Looking behind the door, Randal shook his head, "Guys, we have a problem."

"Big or little?" Aidan asked him.

"Oh, I'd say super big, on a scale of one to ten, a ten." Randal pointed behind the door.

Aidan poked his head around Randal, he saw a body lying on the ground. Its pale eyes looked up at them. "Is that…?" Aidan said.

"His name was Phil," Randal said. "And he's also the one that Donny possessed."

Sally and Cecil looked around, "You mean he's back to being a ghost?" Cecil hissed.

"Looks like it," Randal said.

"You were a bit low on that scale," Aidan said. "I would put this at a twelve."

"Isn't this good?" Sally said. "He can't get out now, and if I did my math correctly, he was the last ghost hunter."

"Not the last human," Aidan sighed. "There's one still left, Josh." Giving one last look at the body Aidan was about to ask Cecil how close they were to Josh, until he heard him say, "Where'd Sally go?"

Mother sat quietly in her chair, she wondered when she would be getting a call from the Lupe's that Aidan had been captured.

Josh sat on the floor alone. Leander finally stopped pulling the chain on his neck, when he could not get the reaction he wanted out of Josh. He would be waking up in the morning with bruises. Sitting with his back against the column, he watched Leander as he nervously paced the room.

Hearing a moan, he looked towards a dark corner of the room. He saw a shape tumble inside through a wall. Slowly it rolled into the light of a lantern, Josh bolted up. It was Donny!

He didn't know how he lost his body, but he somehow made his way here. From the looks on his face, Josh could see he was exhausted. He'd seen that look before on Sally, after she possessed a human. But Donny, he looked 100 times worse.

Donny looked up at him, "You're alive," he gasped. "Then there is still hope."

"Hope for what?" Josh said.

Donny didn't answer him, he lay on the floor, he felt totally spent. Since he was forced to leave the human he possessed, he was weakened. He had a hard time concentrating. Once he fled from the vampires, he headed downstairs. There were just three other humans left. They followed Donny, hoping that they too would be able to leave the Carroll.

Coming to the first floor Donny began to get excited. All he had to do was find a door, or even an open window he could use to crawl out of the Carroll. He felt the heart of the human skip a beat, as five Vampires jumped in front of them.

The ghosts that were around him immediately flew off. The possessed humans scattered, the ghosts inside tried to save them, but it was to late. One by one they were grabbed by a Vampire. As soon as they were captured, the ghost that possessed them fled the body. They stumbled to the ground, unaware the consequences of possession took upon them. Donny ran down a hallway, all he needed to do was get out of here. Once he was out of the Carroll, he would release the body. He saw a window and sprinted towards it. He ducked his head, and moved his legs as fast as they would go, but he soon found that he underestimated the Vampires.

Two of them instantly blocked his way. "Aw, look at the mouse, it want's to play," one of the vampires cooed. "Isn't that cute."

He lashed out, slashing Donny in the gut. He grabbed his stomach, pain flew through him, but he still fought to hold onto the body. Just a few feet from the window, his freedom was just a few feet away. He grabbed a dusty chair and threw it at the Vampire.

He stumbled towards the window, but gasped in frustration when someone grabbed his leg and flung him back. "No little mouse, you didn't say 'Mother may I'."

Donny, struggled to stand. The vampires now toyed with him. Two of them circled him, slashing and grabbing for him. Donny would gasp as a nail cut deep into him. His eyes always remained at the window.

"Please," he begged them, poking his head out of the body. "Just let me out and you can have this body."

"We don't listen to no ghost-boys," a short vampire said. "We listen to our stomachs. And right now they want to eat."

The two vampires pounced on Donny. He felt their teeth pierce his skin, but still he fought to hold onto the body. He struggled to get free as he was dragged down a hallway, ending up at a pair of double doors. He fell on the floor, unwillingly he released his hold on the human. He lay on the floor, and watched the vampires drain his human host, he swore he would find another way out of here. His answer came when one of the vampires received a call on his cell phone. "Found some humans, still no sign of Aidan's dog. Yes, we'll still keep looking."

"Josh's wolf," Donny gasped. That was his answer, his last chance to get out of the Carroll. He lay on the floor, waiting for his strength to return, after several hours, he got up and began his search for Josh. He had to find him, he was his only hope for leaving the Carroll.

"You're going to help me get out of here," Donny weakly said. Still he felt feeble, but his strength was slowly returning.

"You look like your hangover has a hangover." Josh said. "I don't think you'll be strong enough for a long time."

Donny rolled his head to look at Josh, "Oh I'll be strong enough, even if I have to possess your wolf, I am getting out of here."

Josh glanced at his watch, less than two hours, "You just may be getting your wish," he said under his breath. He had to find some way out of here. He closely examined the chain that held him. Leander made a big mistake, it was not the strong chain that Randal used, this one was something he would use to chain up a bicycle. Going down each link he spied one that was not fully closed. Looking back he saw Leander ignoring him, another mistake made by a rookie.

Standing up, he began to taunt Leander. "Hey Leander, they got a new invention, it's called 'a bath'."

"Shut up dog, the ladies like this smell."

"Are they of the four hoofed variety?"

Leander brought out his whip and snapped it at Josh. Josh let out a cry as it hit him on the arm. He ran towards Leander with all his might. Wrapping the chain around his hand so it wouldn't choke him, he pulled on it as he tried to reach Leander.

Josh jerked hard on the chain. Leander stayed just out of reach. "Oh what's the matter puppy, you can't get me?"

Josh had to fight to keep a satisfied grin from coming out as he struggled to get to Leander. Each jerk, each hard pull would help him to open the gap in the link further. Leander would hit him with the whip each time he jerked on the chain. Stopping to catch his breath, Josh had to turn his back as Leander continued to whip him.

"Less than two hours," Leander shouted as he snapped the whip. "And I get to play with your hairy friend."

Josh spun around, he tried to grab the whip but Leander was to fast.

"Enough!" Mother shouted. "I want it quiet in here."

Leander quickly pulled back his whip, "Yes, Mother," he humbly replied. He pointed a finger at Josh. "You, sit still."

Josh couldn't agree more, his skin stung from the whips bites. Sitting down, he saw Leander looking at him, he pulled he whip through his hands. Josh saw Mother looking at him, her eyes turned dark, she had made her mind up even if the Lupe's did not get Aidan, she would not be leaving empty handed. Then Josh looked at Donny, his pale eyes greedily staring at him.

Slowly he began to crawl up to him, Josh scooted back as far as the chain would allow. In a blink Donny was laying next to him. Josh bolted up but he could not move. Looking down he saw Donny's hand wrapped around his ankle.

"From now on, I'm sticking with you like glue," Donny told him.

Josh shivered as he felt Donny begin to move into him. Knowing that he was about to be possessed, he tried to fight it. The last thing he saw was Sally appear next to him, he heard her shout, "Oh no you don…"

Cecil pointed to a hallway, "It's just down there," he told the others.

Randal was checking the iPad. Using the thermal camera's he was able to find at least ten vampires. He had no idea where the others were located.

"Damn it, Sally," Aidan whispered. "I know you're going to try and stop Donny from possessing Josh. She shouldn't have gone by herself. She's not going to be getting any help from the other ghosts here."

"Sorry," Cecil said. "But Donny has been terrorizing them for so long, I'm surprised they even dared talked to your friend Josh."

"They just want to leave this place," Aidan heard a man say. He saw Floyd standing in the hallway. "We all just want to find our doors." Floyd stared at Cecil. "So, you finally decided to come out."

"You know me?" Cecil said.

"Course I do, June told us about you long time ago." Squinting his eye, he said, "She's not as dumb as you think."

"I didn't think she was dumb," Cecil softly said.

"No but you've been an idiot all this time," June said. She suddenly appeared next to Cecil. She angrily crossed her arms, "Hiding from me all that time. It took Aidan's problem to bring you out."

Cecil looked embarrassed. "Sorry Princess, but I...well I…"

"I know," June said. "You promised to look out for me, and you thought you failed." Smiling at him, she said, "You didn't, I made the choice to help Aidan. And look at what you did, you never stopped watching out for me, did you."

Cecil shook his head, "I tried to keep hidden, so you wouldn't feel guilty about my death."

"I knew you were there all the time, but it was what you wanted to do, so I respected that."

June stepped up to Aidan, "I made up my mind, I'm going to help you."

"Me too," Floyd said. "It's high time we stood up for something around here. That damn Donny had us spooked for so long we were afraid to go anywhere without asking him."

"I'll take that offer," Aidan said. "First thing I need to know is where exactly the other vampires are located."

Floyd touched his nose and winked at him, "I can help you there." He instantly blinked out.

Aidan checked his watch, an hour and a half. There wasn't much time left. He needed to know how many vampires he would have to fight to get to Josh. He was surprised to see Floyd quickly pop back.

"Got some bad news," Floyd said. "Someone found that mess you left in your room on the fourth floor."

Aidan immediately knew what that meant. Once Mother finds out that the Lupe's were dead, she would call back all the vampires in the Carroll to the monitor room. "We need to do this now," Aidan said.

Randal hefted his crossbow. "Let's go then." Aidan checked the gun he took from the Lupe's. He only had a few of their special bullets, he hoped they would be enough.


	25. Home…Again?

Being Human: Mother Know's Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Twenty Five

Home…Again?

"Tell them to get back here, NOW!" Mother shouted at Leander. He had just told her that someone found what they think was left of the Lupe's in a room that burned them when they entered.

"Yes Mother," Leander said. "Right away."

He quickly called up the leaders of the groups of vampires in the Carroll and told them to come back to the monitor room as quickly as possible.

"Damn them," Mother cursed. "I told them to just bring him here, and not to play any games." She was actually shocked to find that Aidan was able to defeat the Lupe's. She wondered if she should just cut her losses and leave with Aidan's wolf. Looking at Josh, she saw him staring back at her. It was then she noticed a change, his sad eyes were no longer there. They were dark, dark with hatred, then they were blank.

She was unaware that there was a battle being waged inside of Josh. As soon as Donny attempted to enter Josh's body, he saw someone appear. It was a young woman with long curly hair. He rushed inside of Josh, but the woman was just as quick. They both entered Josh at the same time.

Josh reached out his hands when he saw Sally, he falling forward, he fell on something soft. Sitting up he couldn't believe his eyes. He was sitting on his couch back home. Standing up he whirled around, "What the hell, is this a dream?"

"If it is, I'm here too," Sally said. Josh saw her standing next to the fireplace. He smiled at her, then he frowned. "Who the hell is that?" He pointed to her left.

Sally's eyes grew wide in shock, "Wait a minute, you can see him? You can really see him?" She couldn't believe it, Josh was pointing at Scott.

"If you mean the guy dressed like a hit man with creepy eyes, then, yeah I can see him."

Scott angrily pointed at Josh. "We don't need to be here, Sally. Let Donny have him, we can leave, just like he and Aidan left you alone in the apartment."

"Wait a minute," Josh said. He quickly walked up to Sally. "Is that Scott?"

Sally nodded her head. Standing up to him Josh said, "I've been wanting to tell you this for a long time. Leave Sally alone!" Pulling his fist back, he punched Scott in the face. A spark flew in the air as his fist made contact with Scott's face.

Scott slammed hard into the fireplace, rubbing his face he shouted, "Hey, that hurt!"

Glaring at him, Josh said, "Good, I meant it to."

"Josh," Sally said, "I don't know what's going on, why are we here?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" he asked her.

"I saw Donny attempting to enter you. I tried to stop him, next thing I know we're back home, and you are SO my hero!" she said with a giggle. "Nice right hook."

"It wasn't that hard to do," Josh said. "Really hate when a guy parts his hair in the middle."

They all jumped when they heard a rumbling sound fill the room. "Okay," Josh said, "And what the hell was that?"

"Donny?" Sally squeaked.

"Unless he died with stomach trouble, I don't think so." Josh gasped in shock when he saw a large black shadow walk across the front window.

"Josh, DUCK!" Sally suddenly shouted.

Ducking Josh felt a chair sail over him. Spinning around he saw Donny standing in their kitchen. "Damn it bitch, you ruined it. I was supposed to be the only one here."

"SO not sorry I messed that up," Sally angrily shot back. "I'm not letting you take his body over without a fight."

A cold grin parted Donny's lips. "I was hoping you'd say that. You see Lydia heard everything that Aidan told June. Even about your little problem. Oh wait, there he is."

Donny stared at Scott. "I heard about what you did, to the other ghosts. Ripping them." Donny took a step closer to Scott. "All you have to do is teach me how to rip a ghost, and I'll help you get back control of her."

Scott began to move closer to Donny. "No you don't," Josh said. He grabbed Scott and threw him at the fireplace, he stood in front of him blocking his way to Donny. Once Scott hit the wall the rumbling returned, but this time it was louder. Josh smiled with revelation.

"You're running out of time, Donny," Josh said. He pointed to the front window. Donny saw a large black shadow move across it. "I'm not just any human being. I have something inside of me, something that I've felt every day of my life since that fateful night. He's inside of me, always clawing to get out. And tonight is his night."

"Right," Donny said. "Then it's a waiting game is it?"

In a flash Donny appeared behind Sally. His arm wrapped itself around her neck, pulling her back. The rumbling sound grew louder, this time it was recognized as a growl. The shadow now blocked the window.

It lunged at the window, a large bang was heard as it smashed into it. The shadow disappeared, then they heard a scratching at the door.

"A little over an hour," Donny said. "From my calculation that's the time you have left before Fido there breaks in and takes full control. Let's see if that's how long it takes me to figure out how to rip her."

Donny placed a hand on her chest and concentrated. Sally screamed as she felt pain moving through her body, but it was not a ripping pain. Donny joyfully laughed. "I've been a ghost long enough to know how to inflict pain on another spirit. Tried it on a few, but now I get to really start having some fun now."

Again he planted his hand on her chest, Sally struggled to free herself from Donny's hold, but he was to strong. She shrieked as he sent waves of pain through her.

"Times a ticking, there's no stopping the moon from rising. But you can stop her pain. All you have to do is give me control before the change."

Josh shook his head, "How the hell am I going to do that?"

Suddenly the room shook hard enough to knock them off their feet. Sally scrambled up and ran to Josh. He pulled her protectively behind her. Holding onto Josh tight another jolt moved through the house. "What was that?" Josh said.

Sally knew the answer, "Aidan's here."

As soon as Aidan saw that Sally was gone, he knew where she went. He didn't hesitate, he ran down the hallway towards the door leading into the monitor room. He heard Mother on the iPad, calling for the other vampires to return. He knew he did not have much time to get Josh out of there.

Opening the Lupe's cell phone, he texted a message. Sending it, he rushed towards the door. Randal was by his side, he held his crossbow up, running towards the door Aidan fired off one of the Lupe's special bullets.

Mother heard her cell phone buzz, she saw a text message from the Lupe's. But she was just told that they were dead. Quickly opening it, she shot up as she saw the short message on the phone.

"Knock, Knock."

She was thrown on her back as the door exploded into a thousand splinters. Aidan was inside first. With a quick look he realized that Mother was on the far side of the room. Josh was chained to a column to his left. Immediately a vampire rushed towards him.

Randal fired off his crossbow, Leander was ready for him. He held his arm up, the bolt imbedded in his arm. He didn't even try pulling it out, he knew Randal would be on him in a second. Pulling out a knife, he met Randal with a snarl of furry.

Aidan rushed towards Mother. She was stunned by the explosive bullet. Standing up, she kicked out at the table. The monitors tumbled on the floor towards Aidan. He leaped over them, landing on the other side. Mother angrily glared at him, but she did not move. She knew, at this moment she was stronger than Aidan. Aidan also knew, but he had to try something to put her off balance.

That something was Cecil. Standing in the center of the room, he began to concentrate. The monitors that fell rose in the air. Everything in the room suddenly began to fly around. Mother had to duck as a monitor flew at her head, nearly taking it off. In the confusion she saw Aidan was gone. She knew exactly where he went.

As soon as the monitors began to rise, Aidan ran to Josh. He saw him just standing next to the column, a blank look on his face. "Josh," he shouted. "You in there?"

Getting no response, he pulled Josh as far away from the column as possible. Aiming the gun he used the Lupe's exploding bullet to tear into the column. Dust filled the air as it exploded. Randal rushed over to them. Looking back Aidan saw Leander swatting at a swarm of monitors and chairs flying around him.

"Cecil can't keep it up much longer," Randal told Aidan. Already the flying objects were beginning to slow down.

Randal picked up the chain attached to Josh, he laughed. "Amateur, the wolf would have broken this easily." He was surprised how strong the lock was attached to the collar, that was something that would be have to be taken off Josh later.

Randal waved his hand in front of Josh's eyes. "Josh, what's wrong?"

Randal jumped back when he heard an eerie voice wail, "We're all in here, all of ussss."

"I can't believe it," Aidan said. "I think both Donny and Sally's inside of him."

"We'll sort it out later," Randal said, as he grabbed Josh and hefted him over his shoulder. He clutched the chain attached to the collar. "Let's get him out of here first, then we can figure out how to get them out of Josh."

Clutching him tight, Randal carried Josh out of the room. Just before he left the room, Aidan looked back. He saw Cecil's arms falling to his side, the monitors in the room fell to the ground.

He popped up next to Aidan. "Sorry," he weakly sighed. "That's all I can do for now. I don't have much more in me. I didn't want to use it all up." The look on Mother's face told Aidan all, she was really pissed now.  
>"Times up," Aidan shouted. "Gotta go, Randal."<p>

Aidan ran ahead of Randal. Cecil lead them towards the basement. Glancing at his watch Aidan saw they had a little over an hour to reach the basement and get Donny out of Josh. The basement part was going to be easy. It was the getting-Donny-out-of-Josh part that Aidan had no idea how the hell he was going to do that. He hoped that Sally would be helping him find a way.

They ran down the hallways, Cecil suddenly ran back shouting, "Not that way, not that way." Behind him, Aidan saw four vampires rushing towards them. He looked back at Randal, "Get him into the basement, I'll be right behind you."

Randal knew he had no choice, holding Josh he would not be able to fight. He quickly followed Cecil while Aidan remained behind. Randal could hear snarling and screaming behind him, but he had to block it out. He needed to get Josh to that furnace room before he turned. Otherwise there would be a very dangerous ingredient added to the brew.

As Cecil led Randal away he knew he had to think of a way of getting around the fighting vampires. He hated that it would take more time getting down, but they really had no other choice.


	26. An Unholy Partnership

Being Human: Mother Know's Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Twenty Six

An Unholy Partnership

Josh kept Sally behind him, he would not let Donny use her against him. Outside the house the dark shadow was large enough to block the light from coming through the window. The shadow moved away, they heard scratching from the back door now. The wolf howled and growled knowing it would soon be allowed its freedom.

"Something's happening out there," Donny said. "I don't know what, but if I know Aidan, he's most likely done something stupid. But for me it's a good stupid, he's probably helping you escape. And if he did," Donny winked at him. "I'd bet my grandmother's eyes that he's taking you down to the furnace room to make the change. But not before I have my chance to get out of the Carroll."

Donny turned to the only one he knew would help him. "Tell me," he begged Scott. "Tell me how to rip a ghost."

"No!" Sally shouted. "Don't do it."

Scott smiled at her, "Don't you see, he'll make a perfect reaper. He can help us get rid of all the spirits that need to be ripped."

"Yes," Donny hissed. "I'll purge them, just like I've done before. Even if I don't get out of here tonight, I will later. I'm sure more ghost hunters are going to visit, and that's when I'll take one. I'll be free of the Carroll. Once I'm out I'll start my cleansing, but oh, it's going to be so much better. Because I'll be able to cleanse the dead as well as the living."

Scott looked back at Sally, "If I tell you how to reap, will you promise that you will not touch Sally?"

Donny nodded his head, "I give you my word."

"The word of a murderer," Josh said. "How much weight does that hold?"

"I don't care," Scott said. "I'm tired of Sally ignoring me, I want to see her reaping again."

Scott began to move towards Donny, Sally quickly popped next to Donny. "You want to learn how to reap?" Sally said. "I'll show you how."

"No Sally, don't," Josh said. "That's exactly what Scott wants you to do. You need to be strong, you need to reject him."

"Don't listen to him Sally, do it," Scott urged her. "If anyone deserves to be reaped, he does. Just reap his soul and you'll save Josh. It's his only hope."

Donny began to back away, "No, not me, don't do it to me."

An evil grin grew on Sally's face, "Oh yes, I can feel your fear, it is delicious." Josh saw Scott slowly move to Sally, he phased right into her. Her eyes turned white, she spun around, her taunting laughter cut right through Josh.

"She's mine now, I'll be leaving." She immediately disappeared. Josh was now alone with Donny. A large satisfied smile slowly parted Donny's lips.

"That was easy as pie, pitting them against each other, now then. Where were we?"

Josh saw the room slowly begin to fade away, the sound of the wolf growling filled his mind, until it became blank.

Randal followed Cecil as he raced through a dark hallway. He could hear Aidan fighting behind him. He wanted to help but he had to get Josh away. Coming around a corner, he suddenly stopped. He fell to his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Josh booted him in the stomach. He immediately released Josh, and clutched his stomach.

Hearing Randal gasping, Cecil stopped. He saw Josh standing up and Randal kneeling on the ground clutching his stomach. Josh smiled down at him. Standing next to Josh was Sally, her eyes were as white as snow. A maniacal grin was set on her beautiful face.

"Josh, are you all right?" Cecil asked him.

"You're too late," Donny told Cecil. "I'm using this body to get out of here before it changes. And it looks like I have a new friend to help me in my quest."

"Yesss," Sally hissed, her deep voice resonated. "You can cleanse the humans and I'll reap their ghosts. It will be a true cleansing." Her head lay back, she laughed so hard it echoed in the hallway. "We're going to make the perfect pair."

As Randal tried to catch his breath, he saw Josh run away, with Sally in tow. Cecil kneeled by his side. "Are you all right?"

"Follow them," he gasped. Cecil didn't hesitate. Getting up he was off in a flash. Randal struggled to stand, and stumbled after Cecil.

Donny raced through the hallways. He had been down here before, he just needed to get to any window. That's all he had to do. Just step one toe out with this wolf and leave the Carroll forever. Rushing forward he frantically searched for a room. Knocking a door open, he entered what was the library. Old rotted books still stood on their shelves. Rushing to a window, he snarled in frustration. The windows had long been boarded up.

"You're not going to get out that way," Cecil said. "They boarded that up when the ghost hunters started showing up."

Donny searched for something to use to break open the one obstacle that stood before him and freedom. He picked up an old chair. Lifting it over his head he began to slam it against the wooden boards nailed across the windows. He roared in anger as the chair shattered into splinters, but the wood was not damaged. He used several chairs, but they were to fragile with age.

"Great, make more noise," Cecil said. "Might as well shout, 'I'm here come and get me'."

Donny knew he was right. "I just need to find something…," Donny mumbled. His eyes lit up as he saw a large fireplace in the room. Sally was standing next to it, she was pointing to a stand that held tools used to clean out the fireplace. Rushing to it, Donny pulled out a heavy metal poker. He was thankful that using Josh's body, he was able to touch the iron poker. Sally jumped back, "Whoa, don't touch me with that, its solid iron. I'll end up back at the house."

"Don't worry," Donny said. "I won't let anything happen to you, partner." Winking at him, he pointed the poker at Cecil. "But you, you stay out of my way, got it?" He returned to one of the windows in the room. He slammed the poker into a board and began prying it open.

"Just a few more minutes," Donny grunted. "That's all I need." He looked back at the door, he could hear the sounds of others in the Carroll.

"I don't have to do a thing. You are your own worst enemy," Cecil said. "It's a wonder you weren't captured sooner." Donny tried to block Cecil's taunting out as he worked on prying the boards off the window.

Randal took in deep breaths, he stopped when someone blocked his way, it was Aidan.

"What happened? Where's Josh?"

"Donny has control of Josh, Cecil went after him," Randal quickly told him. "And Sally isn't Sally."

Aidan didn't have to be told anymore. "Let's go get….," He stopped talking when he heard a large bang, seconds later he heard another.

"I'm guessing that's Donny," Randal said.

"Yes," Aidan said. He hurried down the hallway towards the noise. "Idiot, we're not the only ones that can hear him. We got to get to him before the others do."

Donny already had one board pulled off, he was working on a second one. He could see Sally on the other side. "Hurry," she urged him. She looked up, it was already starting to get dark. "You don't have much time. Just use the mutt's body to get out of there. Then when he turns you can find another body."

"Just a few more minutes," Donny whispered. "And I'll be leaving this place behind me."

Cecil worriedly looked back, "I think your time's about up Donny. Those vampires sure sound like they're getting closer. I'd get out of here if I was you."

"Shut up, just shut up," Donny barked, as he worked on the last board. He was so close, almost there, then he heard a cracking sound just before something bit into his back. Turing around he saw a large vampire holding a whip in his hands.

Cecil shrugged his shoulders, "I warned you."

Leander pulled back his whip and flung it forward, hitting Donny on his chest. "You are really pissing me off," Leander said. He snapped his whip forward, slowly forcing Donny away from the window. He held the poker in front of him, trying to block the whip from reaching him.

"You made me look bad in front of Mother."

"Look," Donny said. He flinched when the whip bit into his arm. "I promise not to give you any more trouble, if you take me out of here now, before the change."

Leander slowly shook his head, "How stupid do you think I am. Once you change you'll be gone. At least in here I've got places to lock you up."

"A car," Donny desperately shouted. "You can lock me up in a car, that should keep the wolf contained for the night. Then you can take me in the morning. Please, I give you my word I won't fight you. All I want to do is get out of this place."

Leander lashed his whip at Donny, it bit cruelly into his shoulder. He flinched as each lash inflicted on Josh's body, he could feel.

"I don't take orders from you, you take them from me."

Leander continued to whip him, hitting him with it's sharp tip it slashed into Donny. The pain was sharp and stinging. He groaned and tried to get away, but Leander was relentless. "Down you dog, you're nothing you hear. This is just the beginning, when I get you back I'm going to make so many scars on you that you won't even feel the whips sting anymore."

Donny had never felt so much pain in his life. He dug the poker in the floor and dragged himself across, trying to get away from the whip, but Leander was relentless. Falling next to a chair, Donny looked back. One more board, that's all he had to open was one more board to get out of the Carroll. He knew he only had one chance to escape. He quickly released his hold on Josh. Josh's eyes flew wide open as he felt pain as he never felt it before. He was back in control of his body, a body that was crying out in agony.

Looking to his side, Josh saw Donny standing next to him, he slowly backed away.

"Why did you leave him?" Scott snarled. "You were so close to getting out." He didn't answer him, he just backed up until he moved through a wall in the room. Sally flinched when she heard Josh cry out in pain. Shaking her head, she saw Scott next to her. He quickly left the room, leaving her with Josh.

"Oh Josh, I'm sorry," Sally said. "I'm so sorry."

Josh arched his back as another strike of the whip hit him. "Get up, you mangy mutt!" Leander snarled at him.

"Stop it," Sally shouted.

"I not afraid of ghosts," Leander said. "Go ahead, bring me an army, I'll take on them all."

Sally looked at Josh, "Got an idea, I'm going to make things right." She slowly began to fade away, "Don't leave me," Josh shouted to her.

"Nice friend," Leander said. "I'm glad she's gone, I'm not going to put up with her when I get you back. First I need you to know who's the master around here." He lashed his whip out at Josh, again and again it stung him. He tried to make his way to the door, but the pain was to much for him. Cecil now tried to help, a large chair slid over the floor, Leander jumped over it. He reached back and grabbed a cast iron shovel used to scoop up the ashes. "Back up, or I'm going to send you back to your maker." He jabbed the shovel at Cecil.

Leander glared at Josh. "Randal was too soft on you, letting that ghost stay with you. I'll show you that I'm not going to pamper you like him. I'm going to…" he lashed out his whip, but this time it did not hit Josh. A hand moved out, snatching the whip. Leander jerked on it, he was not surprised to see Aidan holding the other end.

"Aidan," Josh gasped.

"Glad to see you made the party," Cecil said.

"Let go," Leander snarled. "He's mine now, Mother gave him to me."

"No," Randal said. He stood by Aidan's side. He looked at Josh, the pain was deep in his eyes. In the weeks he took care of him, Randal had grown close to him. He knew now why Aidan protected him so passionately, and he knew now that he would do the same. He would show Leander what it meant to hurt one of his friends. For that was what he called Josh now, his friend. He took a step in front of Aidan, "He's mine."

Aidan released the whip. "Have fun."

Leander slashed the whip at Randal, his anger helped him to ignore the pain. Slowly he stepped up to Leander, his wrath increasing with each step. Leander began to back away.

Aidan rushed over to Josh. He tried to get him to stand, Josh painfully smiled at him. "My knight in shinning armor, guess that makes me the damsel in distress, or is that dude?"

As Aidan pulled him up, Josh grabbed the iron poker. With Donny still around he wanted to keep it near him.

"Good to see you back, Josh," Aidan said. "Where's Donny and Sally? Is she still our Sally?"

"Of course Donny released his hold on me when things got rough," Josh said. "He fled, like the rat he is. As to Sally, she just left. She said something about making it right."

Aidan looked at the lash marks on Josh's arm, he saw them slowly begin to heal. He knew what that meant. "It's getting close, we need to find a place for you to make the change." Aidan looked at his watch, "I don't know if we have enough time to make it to the basement." He checked his gun, only one explosive bullet left. He would have to make it count.

"Wait Aidan," Cecil said. "Donny actually had a good idea. He said something about changing in a car. There's an old refrigerator truck parked in the dock. It's a lot closer than the basement. It's in the east wing."

Aidan helped Josh to stand, "Think you can you run?"

"I'll start with walking, and go from there," he told him. He could feel the sting of the whip marks slowly fading away. Looking at his watch, he saw it was less than an hour now until the moon rose. Josh took in a deep breath. "Let's go, we need to finish this thing with Mother, now."

He followed Aidan out, he looked back and saw Randal fighting with Leander. Noticing that Josh was leaving the library Leander's fighting took on a more desperate vein. "Get out of here," Randal told him.

They rushed out of the room. Cecil made sure to scout ahead, he led them towards the east wing of the Carroll. Coming to a dock, he also had another reason why he thought the refrigerator car was a good idea. It was parked in the dock, technically it was still inside the confines of the Carroll. Even if Donny tried to possess Josh again, he would still be inside the Carroll.

They entered a large room and saw Lydia standing in their way. Josh held the iron poker in front of him. Lydia began to cry.

"Go ahead, do it, I deserve it. He was going to leave me," she sobbed. The room suddenly began to get very dark and very cold. "All this time, all I did for him, and he was going to leave me here."

"Lydia," Aidan said. "I'm sorry, but that's how Donny is, I told you before. He was using you."

"I know," Lydia sniffled. "But I was so lonely. I helped him escape you know, the night he died. I only did it because he promised me he would be my friend. You wouldn't be my friend, no one would back then. But Donny, he listened to me, listened to what I would say."

"He only told you what you wanted to hear," Cecil said. "You never heard how he spoke about you where you were not there. I've heard him say things about you that, well if you heard them you'd know just how much he appreciated what you did for him. Which is to say, zero."

"NO!" Lydia wailed. "Why did I listen to him?" She slowly drifted to Josh. "You gonna to keep your promise?" she asked him.

"What promise?" Josh returned.

"That you're going to help the other ghosts here, find their doors. You gonna keep that promise?"

"Josh is a man of his word," Aidan said. "I can vouch for him. If he said he's staying to help, he will. And so will I."

Lydia sadly looked at Josh, "Does that include me too?"

Josh lowered the poker. "If that's what you want."

Lydia slowly nodded her head. "Yes, I see it now. You are a man of your word, you will help us. We've been asking Aidan for so long, most of us gave up hope of ever finding our doors. I guess we have something to thank Aidan for."

"What's that?" Aidan asked her.

"You made friends with him."

Josh heard his watch begin beeping, "Half an hour," he said.

Lydia slowly moved out of the way, "I'll let you do what you got to do. In the morning, we'll be here waiting for you to help us." Slowly she began to fade away.

Glad that Lydia no longer blocked their way, they sprinted to the door. Minutes later they were standing in the dock. Cecil was right, a refrigerated truck was parked in the dock. Aidan jumped down and tried to open the rusty door. He struggled to open the sealed door. It had been so long since it was last opened, it was literally rusted shut.

Aidan eyed the gun, "Save it," Josh said. "We may be needing it for later."

He handed Aidan the iron poker. Jamming one end in the door, Aidan slowly began to pry the door open. It took precious minutes to get it open. Each minute Josh anxiously looked at his watch. It took Aidan nearly ten minutes to finally pry the door open. It took both Aidan and Josh to pull it open wide enough for them to crawl in.

The stench was horrible, rotted boxes were piled up in the back of the truck. Josh laughed. "Guess it's poetic. I was willing to change in the refrigerator back home, now I am."

Handing the poker back to Josh, Aidan fished out a flashlight from Josh's backpack. He showed its light in the truck. "It looks sound enough, I think it can hold him." Looking at Josh he tiredly sighed. "You know, you don't have to do this. You can just leave the Carroll and change in the woods surrounding her."

Josh shook his head, "Not an option. I came this far to help you fight Mother. I'm your only chance of getting back in the fold. I'm staying for the duration."

Nodding his head Aidan took in a deep breath. "Then I guess we just sit and wait for…" he eyed Josh's watch.

"Oh," Josh said. Checking his watch he said, "Almost fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen minutes," Aidan said with a nod of his head. "I bet it's going to feel like hours."

"I wonder what's taking Randal so long?" Josh said. "He should be here by now."

"Randal!" Aidan said. "I forgot, he told me something that you should know. He said that you need to fight the change."

"I already do that," Josh said. "I hate the damn thing."

"I know, but Randal said the harder you fight it, the more you hate it, the longer you keep it from coming the stronger I'll get feeding off of your blood."

Josh fisted his hands, staring out the open door he said, "Then I'm going to fight this change, I'm going to keep the wolf away long enough for you to finally end Mother's rule."

"Want me to check?" Cecil asked. "On Randal?"

"No, we need you to keep an eye out for Mother," Aidan said. "Randal can handle himself."

Cecil knew he was right, they needed to watch for Mother. What was about to happen with Josh and Aidan would change the vampire world, forever. Just fifteen minutes, that's all they needed.


	27. Friendship can open many Doors

Being Human: Mother Know's Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Twenty Seven

Friendship can open many Doors

Leander could practically feel the anger pouring out of Randal.

"You're never going to get your hands on him again," Randal snarled. He lifted a dusty chair, and threw it at Leander. The vampire ducked, he felt the legs scrape against his back. Standing up, he smiled at Randal.

"That's why Mother chose me. She said you were getting sentimental with the wolves. She needed someone who would put them in their proper place." He pounded his fist on his chest, "That someone is me."

Randal slowly circled Leander, he ducked as the whip lashed out at him. "Did she tell you?" Randal asked. "Tell you why she needed the wolves?"

"She said it was an important job," Leander snapped back. "I would find out when we came back."

"Oh, she may tell you a few things, to satisfy your curiosity, but you'll never hear all of her secrets." Randal jumped to the side, he grabbed one of the pokers from the fireplace. "I know them, Leander. I know them all. I've been with her almost from the beginning. I've seen what her evil heart is capable of doing."

Leander spat on the floor, "You've lived with the wolves so long you stink like them, act like them. She's the queen of vampires!" Leander shouted. "How do you think she should act? Humans are here for us to feed on, wolves are our playthings. That's all I need to know."

"What would you say," Randal said. "What would you say if I told you it didn't have to be like that, that we were once all equal."

Leander began to laugh, "Do you know how stupid you sound? Mother is the mother of all vampires. She is the strongest, no one can dethrone her. She is and always will be, Mother."

"You're wrong," Randal told him. "So very wrong, you're as blind as I was when she first asked me to watch after the wolves. I thought I was doing a great thing, given a sacred trust. It took thousands of years for my eyes to be opened. Aidan helped me, as well as Josh. We can be friends with the wolves. And when this night is done," Randal took in a deep breath, as he charged Leander, "Mother will finally be put back in her place!"

Josh pulled at the collar around his neck. They could not break the lock on it. He was going to have to change with the collar on. His wolf was going to be royally pissed when he came out. He kept looking at his watch. Already he could feel the anxiousness, the wolf was practically knocking the door down. Inside he chanted, "Fight it, fight it. I have to fight the change." How strong Aidan would become drinking his blood now depended on how hard he fought the change. How much he hated his wolf. As nervous about the change as Josh was, Aidan had jumped out of the refrigerator car. He was looking out of the dock. The sun was still shinning, it was deceiving to have the sun still out, knowing that the moon would soon be up.

Josh began to nervously bite his nails. "Calm down," Cecil told him. "Soon it will all be over."

"Sorry," Josh said. "It's a nervous habit." He was about to start working on the nails on his other hand when he heard a noise outside. "Aidan, you all right?"

He heard a grunt in answer. Stepping to the door of the refrigerator car, he looked out. He then wondered if the curse made him so unlucky or if he was just born that way. He saw Aidan held by two vampires. Two other vampires stood behind him, Oscar was one of them. Next to Oscar stood Donny, a pleased grin set on his face.

"I told you I'd find them for you," Donny told Oscar.

A blonde male vampire held a broken chair leg to Aidan's chest. Josh could see the splintered tip had broken the skin. "Get down from there, right now," Oscar told Josh. "Or Dave here is going to make that leg go straight through his heart."

Josh tightly held the iron poker in his hand as he jumped down. Cecil appeared next to him.

Oscar carefully moved forward, he grabbed the chain still attached to the collar that Josh wore. He jumped back, gripping the chain tightly. "Call her," Oscar ordered one of the vampires. "Tell her we have them." The vampire quickly dialed a number on his cell phone.

Donny nervously began to eye the dock, they were just a few feet from leaving the Carroll. He knew the moon would be rising soon. His chance to escape from the Carroll was growing short. "You promised," Donny said. "If I found him for you, you'd let me use him to get out of here."

He began to approach Josh. Josh held the poker in front of him. "An inch closer and you're going to find yourself in the basement," Josh warned him. Donny looked to Oscar, he loosely held the chain in his hands.

"We had a deal," Donny told him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, didn't you know, I don't make deals with ghosts."

"NO!" Donny wailed. He flew to Josh, he jumped back as Josh swung the iron poker in front of him. "Go ahead," Cecil shouted. "Try that again. I want to see the pain in your face when he touches you."

"Enough," Oscar said, he jerked the chain. Feeling the collar pinch, Josh remembered the weak link. He then looked at Aidan. The broken chair leg was dug deep into his chest. Cecil was not powerful enough to take on four vampires. He could, or his wolf could. Then it hit him, Josh knew what he had to do.

A loud click was heard as the vampire on the phone closed it. "Mother said to bring them."

"Let's go," Dave told Oscar. "Mother is waiting for us, we can't keep her wait…" the vampire never finished his statement. Josh let out a scream that filled the dock. He dropped the poker, his head lay back, and he cried out in pain.

"It's started," Josh gasped. He stared at Aidan. "You need to get out of here, before he's here," he grunted. He fell to his knees, his hands fisted his back arched. He screamed so loud the vampire that held Aidan released his hold on him. Aidan knocked the chair leg from Dave's hand and ran to the side. He pointed to Josh.

"It's not going to take long," he told the others. "Josh's wolf, well I've seen him take on vampires before."

"Aidan," Josh screamed, "Get out of here, before I change." He hid his face in the dirt of the dock, "Oh god, it hurts so bad." Reaching out, his hand clenched the chain attached to the collar, he jerked hard on the chain. Oscar's face flushed white as the chain easily broke.

"You see that, he broke the fucking chain. I…I didn't come here to fight any wolf," Dave snarled.

"But it's just one little wolf," Oscar countered. Josh started growling, Oscar was the first one out. The other vampires quickly followed him.

"Get back here," Donny shouted. "I thought you were blood thirsty vampires." He spun around when he heard Aidan clapping, "Well done, really missed your calling, Josh."

Suddenly the screaming stopped. Donny saw Josh begin to stand up, he brushed his hair back, "Thanks Aidan, I did do some college theater."

"You were just acting?" Donny said. "All the time you fooled them, then that means…" Donny glanced at the end of the dock. He still had a chance to get free of the Carroll. He took a step closer to Josh, blocking him from reaching the poker that he dropped. "There's still time, I can still use you to get out of the Carroll tonight."

"There's just one problem with that," Cecil said.

Donny saw Cecil suddenly appear between him and Josh. "Oh, are you going to try and stop me again, Cecil? Look how that turned out the last time. Anyway, if I don't get out tonight, then it'll be tomorrow, or the next. I don't care when, but I'm getting out of here and no one is going to stop me."

"No one?" a voice said from behind. "Cecil was alone when he tried to stop you the last time, but not this time."

A male ghost moved through the walls and stood next to Cecil. Then another appeared next to Donny, then another and another. Josh recognized them as the group that appeared with Donny when he met the Ghost hunters. Sally popped up next to Cecil with a large grin on her face.

"What's the matter Donny?" Sally asked. "Guess you forgot all about them. I didn't. Leander gave me the idea, he said to bring on an army of ghosts. I then knew the only way to fight you, was with your own kind."

"They're really not happy," Sally said. "Now that they know you were going to leave them behind."

"They wouldn't believe you," Donny snarled.

"No, but they did believe, Lydia."

"No, she wouldn't betray me, not to them."

"Where you going, Donny?" one of the ghost's asked.

"You promised we'd leave here together," another male ghost wailed. He held a small rope in his hands, he snapped it with each word that he said. "We want to feel necks in our hands again too. We want to watch them die under our grip," he madly babbled. The rope snapping filled the room.

"You may have been top dog here when you were alive, Donny," Cecil said. "But remember, this place did hold some of the most insane criminals of your time. Now they're just as dead as you are. Alone they respected you, but together, well together they don't give a rat's ass for you."

The ghosts began to move closer to Donny. He always knew if they got together, he didn't have a chance against them. He was surprised by his savior.

"Don't hurt him," Lydia said, she suddenly stood protectively in front of Donny. "I only helped you so you could keep him from leaving."

"You bitch," Donny angrily spat out. "I was almost out of here."

Lydia slowly turned around, "You said I could come with, but I saw, I saw you were going to leave without me. I couldn't let that happen. You're the only one that paid any attention to me. Even when you were angry with me, at least you knew I was there."

Donny began to laugh, it was a laugh that made Lydia angry. It was a laugh that told her how very wrong she had been all these years. "You stupid, ignorant cow. I only talked to you because I had to. I was stuck inside this place, I knew that Aidan was the key to getting out of here. And you were the only one here that would be able to keep an eye on him."

"He used you, Lydia," Josh said. "He never cared for you."

"But I helped him escape," Lydia choked. "He said we were going to be together, forever." Looking at Donny, she finally saw him for what he was. "You're a liar, a no good rotten liar. You're…you're a slimy snake that crawled out of the swamp and needs to be stepped on."

"Sing it, sister," Sally said.

Lydia smiled at Josh, "You, I can feel it now. You really meant what you said, you would help us all, you…would you be my friend?"

Josh gently smiled at her, "Of course I would."

Lydia sniffled, "I finally found someone that would be my friend."

Sally pointed behind Lydia, "Josh, I think you helped the first Carroll ghost find her door." A weathered wooden door suddenly appeared behind Lydia. Lydia looked at Sally, "Is that mine?"

Sally nodded her head, "I believe it is."

Lydia watched the door slowly open. Its bright light lit up the dock area. Some of the ghosts there shied away from it. Lydia stood in front, she looked back at Donny. "I guess you never were really my friend, otherwise my door would have been here long time ago." She tiredly sighed. "I'm sorry, for the trouble I caused. I really thought I was helping a friend. I guess I didn't."

She looked at Donny, "You are bad, and you won't stop being bad. That has to stop. You said we would be together forever. Time for you to fulfill on the promise." In a flash she flew right to Donny. Grabbing him she began to drag him to the door.

"No," Donny screamed. "That's not my door, I don't want a door. You can't make me go in."

The other ghost's in the room joined Lydia. They surrounded Donny, slowly they began to drag him towards the door. His body stretched out as he fought the ghosts, but they did not let him go.

"Don't do it, you have no idea which side that door leads to," Donny shouted.

"We don't care," one of the ghosts that held him said. "We're tired of being stuck in here, any place is better than here." Donny felt his legs being pulled inside of the room. It took Lydia and five ghosts to pull him past the door. Lydia smiled at Sally, "Don't rightly know what will happen to us, but we had a good time here in the Carroll, she'll treat you well, I promise."

They heard Donny scream in agony, Sally saw the spirits and Donny disappear, just as Danny did that day of the eclipse. She knew now where they were going. Lydia remained in the doorway. Once Donny and the five ghosts were gone, she waved at Sally as the door closed. Faintly they heard her singing.

_"Carroll, Carroll, you are so very dear. And when we die, you keep our souls in..."_


	28. Phelan

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

Chapter Twenty Eight

Phelan

Josh couldn't believe what he just saw, was Donny really gone? "What the hell just happened?" Josh said. "Did they really…?"

"I think they went to the same place that Danny went," Sally said. "Limbo."

"Well if anyone deserves to be there," Aidan said. "Donny does."

"He's gone," Cecil said. He laughed in relief. "I can't believe it, he's actually gone."

Josh smiled at him, "Guess this has been your dream come true."

"Yes," Cecil said. He looked around, "Yes, it is." His brows furrowed. "If this is my unfinished business, then why isn't my door here?"

Josh searched the dock, Cecil was right, why wasn't his door there? His answer came when something large suddenly flew into the dock and landed on the floor. It was Randal! He rolled over, his face was all bloodied. Looking up Aidan saw Leander standing in the doorway, Oscar and Dave were by his side.

"I told you, you idiot," Leander said to Oscar. "He fooled you all, the moon hasn't risen yet."

Josh and Aidan heard a noise behind them, spinning around they saw eight vampires standing in the doorway of the dock. Sally and Cecil moved by their side.

"That's my unfinished business," Cecil sadly said.

"No where to run, Aidan," Oscar shouted. "You're ghosts there are not going to be able to help you." He held an iron poker in his hands as well as Leander.

"You're not taking me again," Josh shouted.

"So defiant, mutt," Leander panted. "Don't you know, you can't get away, trouble follows you like fleas on a dog."

Josh could see that Randal got in a few licks, Leander looked about as bad as he did. At the moment Leander was not a threat, but the other vampires would be.

Leander took a step closer to Josh, "It's almost time for you to begin changing, before you do, I want to ask you something, and don't you dare lie to me."

"Ask what?" Josh boldly answered back.

"Randal, what he said about Mother, and your blood. Is it true? Is that why she didn't want you killed?"

"Whatcha talking about?" Oscar said.

"Something that just may change all of our lives," Leander said. He took a step closer. "Answer me DOG!"

Josh looked to Aidan, it was Aidan who gave him the answer. "It's true."

"Aidan, don't," Sally said.

Aidan realized this just may be their only chance to get out of this alive. "It's all true," he shouted. He looked at the other vampires in the dock. "Mother has kept a secret from us, from all vampires."

"Wait," Leander said. "I didn't want them to know."

"Know what?" Oscar said. "What the hell are you guys talking about?"

"A secret, Mother's greatest secret," Randal rasped. He struggled to sit up. His face was bloodied and bruised. Josh kneeled by his side, he helped him to sit up. "A secret that Mother has kept from all vampires for thousands of years. A secret that is so great if known, it would affect all wolves and vampires. All would change to be as it was when we first appeared on this world."

"What's he rambling on about?" Dave said.

"Haven't you ever wondered why we don't drink blood from a wolf?" Aidan asked the vampires surrounding them.

"The smell?" one of the vampires shouted.

"Really?" Josh said, with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm beginning to wonder just how bad you smell to them," Sally whispered to Josh.

"Think wet dog," Randal said. "That's been dead about a month."

"Longer," another vampire shouted.

"Haven't you ever questioned why we don't drink from a wolf?" Aidan said.

"It's because we can't," Oscar said. "I heard of a vampire that did it, he nearly died."

"That's Mother's special secret," Aidan said. "The one that she didn't want us to know. Yes, we can't drink a wolfs blood, but the secret is that there is a special time when we can. A very short time, when they change. If we drink their blood in that time we become just as strong as Mother, perhaps stronger."

"He's lying," Oscar said. "He'll say anything to get out of this alive."

"No, it's Mother that's been lying to us," Randal gasped. "She'd be weaker than the weakest vampire without the wolf's blood. That was my job for centuries, to keep her secret. To keep her well stocked with wolves. Wolves she would drink from as they changed, keeping her the most powerful vampire on the planet."  
>"So," Dave said, "What you're saying is, all we have to do is drink this wolves blood as he's changing and we'll be just as powerful as Mother?"<p>

Josh helped Randal to stand, he heavily leaned on him for support. "Stronger," Randal panted.

The vampires in the room now eyed Josh with hunger instead of disgust.

"Aidan," Josh said. "Why do I suddenly feel like I went from untouchable to the main course?" He slowly began to back up.

"Main course and desert," Aidan said, as he followed Josh.

"Cecil," Josh whispered, "Think you can pull that levitating act again?"

Cecil shook his head, "Sorry, it's taking all my strength just to stay visible."

"Sorry, guys," Sally said. "I can't help you, I have no idea how Cecil does it."

Aidan searched the dock for a way out, as he slowly began to back up towards the refrigerated truck. Josh moved with him, holding tight to Randal. The eight vampires in the dock's door advanced towards them. Aidan looked above them. He could see that the roof was clearly rotted. Only several support columns held it up. Pulling out the Lupe's gun he had hidden in his jacket, he shouted to Josh, "Get under the truck!"

As Josh and Randal moved under the truck, Aidan aimed the gun at a column and quickly pulled the trigger. Spinning around he dived under the refrigerator truck just as the roof began to tumble down. Sally and Cecil stood protectively in front of them.

Aidan had placed the shot true. Hitting a main support beam, it was all the roof needed to come down. The vampires screamed in agony as the large wooden beams fell on top of them.

In seconds the roof was on the floor of the dock. Coughing, Aidan crawled out from under the refrigerator car. Thankfully the refrigerator car protected them from being crushed. Sally and Cecil looked odd as fallen beams lay through them. Looking up Aidan saw several floors above them exposed. The concrete floors of each level came down upon them.

"Nice shot," Josh said, as he crawled out from under the truck. He brushed the dust from his clothes. As the dust settled, he could see hands and legs peeking out from under heavy concrete blocks. Aidan saw them too. He rushed over to each vampire. Using a large splinter from a broken wooden beam, one by one he made sure all the vampires under the rubble were dead.

As Aidan killed off the trapped vampires, Josh saw Randal struggling to get out from under the truck. He went over to help him. Gripping Randal's hand he began to pull him out when a familiar pain struck him. His eyes grew wide in fright, time was up.

"Aidan, it's begun," Randal shouted.

"Oh my god, Aidan look." Sally said. She pointed to the refrigerator car.

Aidan spun around, he let out a low curse. The door to the refrigerator car was open when the roof collapsed. Heavy beams fell on top of it, blocking the doorway, and keeping the door from closing. "We have no place to lock up the wolf," Cecil said.

Randal tightly gripped Josh's hands, "Then it's going to happen out here," he told Aidan. "Now get over here, this is what we've been waiting for."

Josh clenched his fist he felt the bones in his hand begin to crack. He screamed in agony as he felt his nails begin to grow. "Fight it Josh, hate it," Randal told him. "The more you do the stronger your wolf will become, the stronger Aidan will become. That is why you won the dogfight with the older wolf. Your hate for it, gives it strength."

Josh nodded his head. He gritted his teeth and fought the change with all his might. Sally and Cecil stood to the side. "I've never actually seen him change," she told Cecil.

Cecil stared in horror, "It looks very painful. It's like the wolf is killing him, so that he could live."

Aidan stood over Josh, he looked to Randal for advice. "The shoulder," Randal told him. "Quickly now, you'll get more blood there."

He hesitated, the pain of the last time he drank from Josh still lingered.

"Take it!" Josh shouted. He screamed in agony as he felt the bones in his back crack. "Damn it, do it now!"

Aidan jumped on his back, digging his teeth into his shoulder he took in a deep draw of blood. Once again he tasted Josh's blood, and it was just as good as he remembered. In fact, it tasted even better. He felt the tingling that rushed through his body the last time, but it was stronger this time. It flew through him. He had to have more of his blood, needed it.

Randal carefully watched Josh as Aidan fed on him. "Cecil is right, Josh," Randal told him. "In a way you die every time the full moon comes, giving birth to the wolf. But this time you must fight it," Randal whispered to Josh. "The stronger your fight, the stronger you make Aidan. And this time you have the super moon to give you the strength to keep the wolf at bay." Josh nodded his head. Biting down hard, he closed his eyes. He was back in his home. The wolf was at the door now, clawing, trying to knock it down. Josh braced his back against it. Digging in his heels he held the door shut.

"Not yet," he shouted. "I'm not letting you get in that easy." He could hear howling and scratching, then it stopped. He saw the black shadow move across the front window. Josh ran to the kitchen door. He reached it just in time. It was nearly knocked off its hinges as the wolf slammed into it. Josh planted his hands on the door, looking out the window of the door, he saw a pair of red eyes staring back at him.

"I hate you," he screamed. "I hate what you did to me, how you changed my life. You took Julia from me, infected Nora. You ruined my life! I'm going to fight you, fight you for as long as it takes, for as long as I live." Closing his eyes, he chanted, "Fight you, fight you."

Randal watched Josh, he could faintly hear him chanting, _'Fight you.'_ "That's it, Josh," he told him. "You're doing it, you're keeping it back."

Randal could see the change seemed to halt. It gave Aidan more time to drink the blood he needed. He watched Aidan, he saw his black eyes begin to change. He'd seen it happen only a few times to Mother, he prayed it would happen to Aidan. The moment he waited for arrived, he saw Aidan's eyes turn blood red.

"Now Aidan, break it off now."

But he didn't want to. Josh's blood was so delicious, it made him feel so good he never wanted to stop drinking from him.

"Stop it, Aidan," Sally shouted. "You're killing him." She saw Josh fall to one knee, Aidan was hurting him.

Aidan snarled in anger as Randal booted him in the stomach. Breaking Aidan's hold on Josh, Randal immediately released him. He then moved protectively in front him. Sally and Cecil stood by his side. "No more Aidan, you've had enough."

Aidan stood up, he fisted his hands. Laying his head back, he licked the blood from his lips. He laughed in joy, never in his life had he felt so strong, so powerful. "Go," Randal told him. "You're strong enough now to meet Mother. Don't worry about Josh, I'll take care of him."

Nodding his head, Aidan easily leaped over the fallen floors. He left the dock without a word. Cecil quickly followed him.

"Will Josh be all right?" Sally asked Randal.

"He will be fine, but you must go with Aidan, Sally," Randal told her. "The blood that now courses through his veins can change a vampire. But the super moon, it gives him added strength. All that power, he's going to feel invincible. You will need to watch him, keep him on the path. Also, I've lived with Mother long enough to know she has planned for this moment. Don't trust her, no matter what she can never be trusted. Go to him, Sally. But watch her, she hasn't lived this long for nothing."

Sally quickly blinked out. Randal returned his attention back to Josh, he had to let him know that he could stop fighting the change. He was about to tell him when something jumped down from the top of the refrigerator car. Leander stood over Josh. He lifted his head, sniffing the air.

"I saw Aidan change," Leander said. He looked down at Josh. "All it took was a drink of his blood." He spun around. "I want that, I want to be just as strong as Mother."

"No!" Randal shouted. He went to grab Leander but was pulled back. Another vampire seemed to have survived the roof collapse.

"I'm going to be the one to drink from him," Dave said. He was covered in concrete dust, but he seemed to have survived the collapse with no major injuries.

"No," Leander snarled. He was ready to fight Dave for the right to drink from Josh, but he was still weak from the fight he had earlier with Randal. Dave easily pushed him away. He stood over Josh, the smell was overwhelming. He plunged his teeth deep into Josh's shoulder.

"Phelan," Randal shouted. "Your time has come."

Josh faintly heard Randal shouting above the growling and snarling. It suddenly stopped. He turned and saw the black shadow at the front window, he ran to the front door, but he was to late. The door was splintered into a million pieces. A large wolf stood in the doorway. Its barrel chest heaved as he stared at him. Leaping in the air, it landed in front of him. Josh stopped fighting, raising his hands for the first time in his life he let the wolf in him take control.

Randal watched Josh's jaw begin to stretch. He knew now that the change was nearly complete. He stepped back and watched as Dave drank from Josh's shoulder. At first he relished the blood. It was the most fantastic thing he had ever drank in his life. He wanted more, needed more. He felt the wolf begin to growl and moan. Looking up he saw the face begin to change. He didn't have much time before he would have a full wolf under him. He tried to drink as fast as possible.

Leander clawed at his back for a taste, but Dave just knocked him back. Then it struck him, the euphoric feeling began to change. He felt a coldness in his stomach, then a burning, it was small at first. But it grew until he had to release his hold on Josh. Backpedaling he tried to get the blood off his lips. It stung him like acid. His throat was on fire, falling on his hands and knees he threw up blood, a lot of blood. It just kept coming. He felt as if his stomach was trying to burn its way out of his body.

Once Dave stepped back Leander was going to attempt to drink from Josh, until he saw the violent reaction from Dave. His eyes were bleeding, his ears, he was throwing up massive amounts of blood. Randal stood back and watched him bleeding to death.

Leander then heard a howl, and snarling. He saw the clothes being ripped off, as the wolf now emerged. Panting from the pain of the change, it angrily shook his head. The collar was still attached, the spokes dug deeply into his neck. The wolf's tiny eyes searched the room. He saw three in the room. He pounced on the weakest one.

Dave screeched in agony as the wolf began to tear him apart. In a way he was thankful, for it ended the pain he was in.

Randal stood up and watched the wolf. "Beautiful," he sighed. "You are magnificent."

Leander slowly crawled under the truck. He silently watched as the wolf tore Dave apart until nothing recognizable remained. He hid under the truck, hoping that the wolf would be satisfied with the kill. But he was not, he was in pain from the collar, and he needed to find a way to get rid of it.

Randal held his hand out, palm up. He softly spoke to the wolf. "Phelan, it is me, Randal. Do you remember me?" The wolf turned his attention to Randal. He recalled seeing him before. He fed him the last time they met. He sniffed the air, but did not smell any chickens. Randal took a small step forward. "Phelan, I can take off that collar, if you'll allow me."

The wolf remained where it stood, Randal slowly walked up to him. Its eyes stared at him all the time. Randal knew he could behead him in a single bite. He held his hand up, "The key," he told Leander. "Give it to me or he'll tear your head off to get away from the pain you have given him."

Leander fumbled in his pockets, finding the key to the collar he threw it to Randal. Caching it, he slowly reached up and placed the key in the lock. Hearing a click, the collar opened. Randal took the collar off the wolf. He angrily threw it to the side. His fingers moved into the fur on the wolf's back, massaging where the collar had bit into him.

"I know you are mad, Phelan. I would never do that to you. It was a mean and cruel thing to do." He looked at Leander. "There is one thing I learned very early, Leander." The wolf slowly began to turn, it stared at Leander. "Never piss the wolf off."

The wolf leaped in the air. Leander tried to crawl out from the other side of the truck but it was too late. The wolf's teeth dug deep into his leg, dragging him out. Randal watched as the wolf took his revenge on an evil vampire. When he was done, when the dock was silent Randal saw the wolf looking at him. Randal gently smiled, satisfied the wolf did not attack him.

"You did good Phelan, now we just have one more job to do, if you wish. Josh's friend Aidan may be needing your help." Randal stepped up to the wolf and patted his back. "Only if you wish, Phelan, only if you wish."


	29. Mother Knows Best

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Twenty Nine

Mother Knows Best

Aidan quickly walked through the dark hallway's of the Carroll. He never felt so strong, so powerful in his life. Now he knew why Mother was able to maintain control of all the Vampires. Such strength, such power, it was so invigorating, so intoxicating. Cecil looked at him with concern, he could see a change in him, and it was not for the good.

Coming to the large central foyer of the Carroll he stopped. Laying his head back he took in a deep breath. Everything seemed to come alive to him, the sights, the sounds, the smells. It was as if he was reborn. He actually giggled, it was like he was a baby taking its first steps. The power that now coursed through his veins was incredible! And to think, all this time he could have done it so much earlier. All this time he had no idea what his friendship with Josh could do.

Sally suddenly appeared. She stared at Aidan, she saw him just standing there. "Aidan," she softly said. "Are you all right?"

Aidan looked at her, she could see his eyes were no longer blood red. But behind his eyes, she saw something that scared her.

"Oh I'm all right," he said. "I'm more than all right."

Sally heard something in his voice, his face that told her he was so not all right.

June suddenly appeared next to Cecil, "Something is wrong," she told her.

"I know," Sally said, she pointed to Aidan. "Josh's blood did something to him."

"No," June hissed. "Not with Aidan, with the Carroll."

"Yes," Cecil said. He shivered, "I feel it too."

It was then that Sally noticed a darkness descending in the room. She faintly felt hopelessness and despair.

"I told you before," June said. "When we die, what is left are our strongest emotions. The Carroll was drenched with them for decades. She used them to protect the souls trapped within her walls. Hate, fear, anger, but the good always outweighed the bad. But with Aidan and Mother nearly equal now, it's tipped the scales."

"What to do you mean?" Sally asked June.

"Look," June sighed.

Sally saw the darkness she felt moving to Aidan. Taking in a deep breath, he sighed in relief. "With such power," he glanced at the door, "Why stay here?"

"Aidan," Sally hissed. "Remember why we came here, to stop Mother."

"You think I've forgotten?" he growled at her. His teeth grew longer, his eyes turned pitch black. "I haven't forgotten anything." He began to circle the room, his pace grew to a feverish pitch. "This power I have in me right now, it's so electrifying. I've never felt this strong before, never felt so…so…"

"Alive," Sally heard a voice echo in the room.

"Who's that?" Cecil said.

Aidan immediately recognized the voice, "Yes, and I know now why you kept it from us, Mother."

He spun around, he could actually smell her, feel her in the room. Then he felt other things, the spirits in the Carroll began to materialize. One by one they slowly appeared. Hundreds of them, they stood silently at the outskirts of the room, staring at Aidan.

"Why are you here?" Aidan demanded.

They just stared at him, the room soon became filled with the spirits of the Carroll. They stood in silence, as if waiting for something. As they waited Aidan now felt something different, coming not from the spirits, but from the Carroll itself. "Yes, the strength, the power, it's incredible. I feel as if I've been reborn."

"I've felt the same," Mother said from a different location. She too began to feel something coming from the Carroll, from the building around her. Distracted, Aidan swiftly moved towards Mother. He found he was glad to see the shock on her face. She moved away from him, but Aidan was able to anticipate her every move. Snarling in anger, she jumped towards Aidan. Grinning Aidan easily moved out of her way. She was shocked to find him quicker, and stronger. It had been centuries since she met anyone close to her strength.

Mother attempted to grab Aidan, he deftly slipped back. Mother slashed and clawed at Aidan, but each time he ducked and stayed out of her reach.

She picked up furniture and threw it at him, he easily dodged her. She soon began to grow tired. Panting she stared at Aidan.

Aidan grinned at her, he softly said, "My turn."

Holding up his hand, Mother saw his nails grow longer. She moved back, but was not quick enough. She gasped in pain as he was on her in a flash. He slashed his nails across her arm. Aidan slashes were so quick, they became a blur. It took all of Mother's strength to keep him from hitting her in a vital spot. She became frightened when she realized that he was just playing with her. He could move much quicker, if he chose.

She ended up backed up against a pillar, panting hard. Aidan stood in front of her, a large grin set on his face. The sleeves on Mother's dress were shredded. Blood oozed from the cuts on her arms. She was feeling something she had not felt in thousands of years, inferior.

"I should have ended your unholy friendship with that wolf long ago," she angrily spat out. "I knew no good would come from it. I was foolish to think that you would never find out my secret."

"But I did Mother," Aidan said. "Oh, I did, and it feels so good, so right."

"Yes," Mother said. She took in a deep breath. She could see that he was enjoying himself. She needed to work on that. "It does feel good, doesn't it," she purred. "I can see that you are relishing your new power."

"Oh yes," Aidan slurred. "Oh yes." He took a step back, the nails on his hand slowly retreated to normal size. "I don't know how his blood did this to me, but I want more, I need more."

"The power of the wolf is very strong," Mother said. "It now courses through your veins. I know exactly what you are feeling."

She looked up at Aidan, her face tilted left then right. "Maybe I was wrong," she whispered. "After all these years, maybe I was wrong in thinking that Suren would follow in my footsteps."

Aidan's grin slowly began to fall. "Suren?" he said. "What do you…"

"Oh Aidan," she sighed. "All these years I thought you were not good enough for her. All that time, yet only now do I realize that it was the other way around."

She stared deep into Aidan's eyes. "I've ruled for thousands of years, I though I had grown tired of it. I was trying to groom my daughter into taking over my position. And to think, all that time I was wrong. I should not have been grooming a daughter to take my place." She stepped closer to Aidan, "I should have been looking for someone to rule by my side. Aidan, you could be that Vampire. You already know my secret, and you've had a taste of the wolf's blood. Think of it, Aidan, ruling by my side. I'll give you Boston, no all of North America."

"Suren is incapable of taking over, but you, only you defied me. Why stand up to me when you can stand by my side?"

"No!" Sally shouted. "Aidan, don't listen to her."

"Aidan," Mother purred. "You've always wanted to be with Suren, this is your chance. You know she is weak, I blame myself, I neglected her when she was growing up. Back then the Vampire world was very different. But this world that I created, oh it could be so much better with you by my side. You could add a modern perspective to the covens. The Dutch, they respect you, I know they do since you saved one of their own."

Mother smiled at Aidan, "I even kept your secret from them. I know the purebred did not kill Hegeman, it was your wolf's girlfriend. I never revealed what she did because she actually did me a favor. The Dutch were growing stronger. I knew that soon they would mount a coup against me. Bishop cut their leaders numbers down for me, but it was not enough. I was the one that asked Hegeman to kill your wolf. Imagine my joy in finding out that he was the one that ended up dying, not your wolf. I'm also thankful that your dog was not killed. He is one of the few left that fights his curse. His blood is very rare in this modern age."

"I knew you gave the order to have Josh killed," Aidan said. He shook his head, "But in a way, I didn't want to believe it."

"You forced my hand," she snarled. "He was a distraction for you, and as you now know, I feared that you would find my secret, and I was right. But now that you've had a taste of his blood, feel the power that it gives you. I ask you, would you accept my offer? I can give you the power to change the vampire world."

She slid her arm around his back. "Come with me, Aidan," she said. Slowly she began to steer him towards the front entrance. She stopped when she heard a howl. "Your friend has allowed the beast inside to take over. Do the same Aidan." She took his hand and began to pull him towards the exit door of the Carroll.

"Aidan, let's rule this world together. You know now the secret of my power. You've had a taste of your friend, and I can see that you like it."

Deep inside Aidan knew she was right. From the first time he tasted Josh's blood, he could not shake that fleeting moment of power he felt, just before the pain. But now, now there was no pain. He felt strong, and powerful. Deep inside he knew that she was right. He loved what Josh's blood did to him, and he would do it again in a second.

"Yes," Mother purred. "I can tell that you did enjoy drinking from your friend."

"Aidan, don't you see," Cecil shouted. "She's doing what Donny did to Lydia. She's telling you what you want to hear."

"Aidan," Mother said. "They do not know what you are feeling right now. But I do, I can see you enjoyed drinking from your friend. Aidan, I can show you ways to drink from him that will give you such a high. Oh I can see it now Aidan. Together, we can share him, share the power that he gives us."

"Share?" Aidan said. "Josh."

"Yes, the wolves are a gift to the vampires. We can share that gift together. Aidan, remember, Mother knows what's best for you, she always has."

"Aidan, you can't be thinking…" Cecil began to say, he stopped, and gasped in pain. Looking down he saw an iron rod sticking out of his chest. In a flash he disappeared. Standing behind him holding an iron poker was Oscar. He jabbed it towards Sally, she blinked out, appearing on the other side of the room.

"Aidan," Sally shouted, "Cecil is right, she's only saying what you want to hear. Listen to us, your friends. Don't fall under her spell."

"Aidan," Mother impeached him. "She has no idea what you are feeling right now, what it means to be a vampire."

Her anger rising, Sally saw Scott standing next to her. He was smiling because he knew she was close to losing herself. She knew too, but she didn't care. All that mattered was helping to steer Aidan back on track.

"That's where you're wrong, Mother," Sally said. "You are so very wrong, I know exactly what he's going through. I went through it myself. Feeling stronger, feeling superior to everyone around you." Looking at Scott she said, "That's why I can say to him, you need to look into yourself. Find that space Aidan, that you said June woke up that night. The small spark that grew, Aidan you need to find your humanity. Josh is your best friend. He came here to help you stop Mother, don't forget that. Use the strength that Josh gave you to fight her."

Mother started laughing, "You stupid fool, Aidan's humanity died the day Bishop brought him into my fold."

Turning she looked at Aidan, she stopped laughing when she saw something in Aidan's eyes. She quickly realized what it was.

"So, it did not die, that is why you continue to defy my wishes."

Aidan proudly held his head up, "Yes, Mother. I'm never going to be like you, your offer is strongly denied."

Mother let out a tired sigh, "Oh well, just remember, I did try."

As Sally saw her take a step forward she remembered Randal telling her that Mother could never be trusted. She shouted a warning to Aidan, but it was to late.

She pulled something out of a pocket in her dress. She threw it at Aidan. He gasped as he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He saw a dart sticking out, pulling it out he laughed.

"You think that's going to hurt me?"

Mother coldly smiled. "Hundreds of years ago I met a family, they specialized in a certain art. They were the Borgia's, and their specialty was poison."

Suddenly Aidan felt a burning in his stomach, it quickly spread into his chest. Clutching his heart, he fell to one knee. He saw Sally getting angry, "Don't," he gasped. "Sally, don't let Scott take over, you have to fight him."

Sally wanted to help, but Oscar stood in her way. He waved the iron poker at her. Slowly backing up, he joined Mother.

Aidan could feel the strength Josh's blood gave him rush out of him. "What did you do to me?" he snarled to Mother.

Mother smugly smiled at Aidan. "Lucrezia, was a master at making poisons. She helped me concoct a special one, one that she said would take away the power that the wolf gave me. I knew that someday someone would stumble upon my secret, and that they would need to be dealt with. Today was that day!"


	30. The Sound of Revenge

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

Chapter Thirty

The Sound of Revenge

Mother slowly stepped up to Aidan. Oscar remained by her side, holding tightly to the iron poker. He had heard everything she said to Aidan. He was confused on what to think. Was Leander right, could a vampire gain strength from drinking a wolf? For now, he would continue to do what Mother said, but the damage had been done. He could never forget what he heard. He swore if he came out of this place alive, first thing he would do is find a wolf and find out for himself just how powerful their blood really was.

"For just a moment, you were stronger than me," Mother said to Aidan. "But there was a time when all vampires were stronger than me. How do you think I survived?"

She squatted next to Aidan, her fingers dug deep into his hair, she pulled his head up. Aidan tightly clenched his teeth, her face was inches from his. "I survived because I was smarter than them. I used my wits, charm, debased myself, anything that it took to continue living." She released his head and stood up. She angrily shook her head. "I'm disappointed in you, I offered you the world, Aidan. And you refused it."

"Of course he did," Mother heard someone shout from the side. She saw Randal entering the foyer. "Aidan has always done what he thought was right. I felt he was different from the first day I met him. I've always known that he was special. When you told me to fetch his friend, I saw a chance that could end your evil rule. That's why I helped Josh escape from your hell hole. You've ruled long enough. It is time for the Vampire race to return to the way it was before you destroyed it and twisted it into your own evil image."

Slowly stepping to the side, he said, "And I'm proud to say that a wolf will play a large part towards your end."

Standing behind him was Josh's wolf. He slowly walked into the foyer, his head turned as he scanned the room. His eyes fell on Aidan, he could see that he was hurt. Something inside, a small part of Josh that remained in the wolf became angry, VERY angry.

Randal pulled something out from his pocket. "Here Phelan, here are your brothers and sisters that Mother killed." He held the chain of hair that he kept. The wolf smelled other wolfs on that chain. His anger grew stronger. His nails dug deep into the floor. The muscles on his back tensed, his head dipped lower, his jowls pulled back and the foyer was filled with the sound of a low growl as it rumbled from the wolf's throat.

Randal patted the wolf on his back. "If she had her way, you would be added to that chain. Your brothers and sisters died because of her." Randal looked at Mother. "You thought they were stupid beasts, chattel to be used and thrown away like garbage. But they are not, they are magnificent creatures. And I 'm proud to say that this one will finally end your evil reign. Kill them, Phelan," Randal shouted to Josh's wolf. "Kill them all!"

The wolf instantly ran straight to Mother. She looked to Oscar for help. He quickly stepped back, to hide behind a pillar.

"Men are useless," Mother hissed, as she kicked off her shoes.

She just managed to move out of the way, as Josh's wolf leaped towards her. Landing hard he skidded on the marble floor, he fought to stop his skid as Mother ran away. Mother panted hard as she raced up the front stairs of the Carroll. The wolf was right behind her. She heard his jaws snapping. Her toes dug deep into the steps as she climbed up the stairs. She leaped over a banister just as the wolf's claws slashed at her. She shrieked in pain as she felt his sharp nails dig deep into her arm.

"You can't run away from destiny," she heard Randal shouting. The wolf's howl echoed in the Carroll. "Here that Mother? That's the sound of revenge."

But Mother was not running away from the wolf, she knew exactly where she was going. She just needed to keep the wolf away from her long enough to get there.

She screamed in agony as the claws of the wolf tangled in her hair. Spinning around, she slashed out with her nails. Making them longer, they tore into the wolfs stomach. Howling in pain, he released his hold on her hair. Turning around she continued to sprint down the hallways. She knew that the scratch would be just a small irritation for the wolf. Racing down a dark hallway she searched for signs of where she needed to go. She snarled in frustration as she saw several small piles of dust, she knew that was all that was left of the vampires she brought with her to help capture Aidan. They would not be able to help her now, unless the wolf got some of the dust in his eyes.

Ahead she saw what she was looking for. She dared to look back, she saw the wolf loping towards her. She knew she only had this one chance. If it did not work, the wolf would be on her in a second. She refused to have her long life ended by a stinking dog.

Running into a huge room with high ceilings, she found what she was looking for. She turned her head and looked back. The wolf was right behind her. She stared ahead, she saw a rope hanging from the ceiling. She concentrated on grabbing that rope, it was her only hope of surviving. Once she was close enough she leapt in the air, her fingers reaching out and tightly gripped a rope hanging from the ceiling. She quickly climbed up the rope.

She gasped in fear as she saw just how close the wolf was to her.

The wolf jumped up, trying to reach Mother. She felt a claw grab her ankle. For a split second she felt him pulling her down. But his grip was not good enough. His claws slipped off her. Climbing up the rope she jerked hard on something attached to the ceiling. Breaking a connection, it fell. The wolf was not quick enough to move back as a large metal net fell down from the ceiling. The wolf struggled hard, as it became hopelessly tangled in the net. Mother waited until she was sure the net safely held the wolf before she released the rope and fell to the floor.

She had this trap set just in case the wolf escaped. She never knew she would have to use it to save her life. She panted hard as she saw the wolf's eye peeking through one of the openings in the net. It snarled and snapped at her, but the metal filaments were strong enough to hold even a super-moon transformed werewolf. Oscar suddenly ran into the room. "Mother," he puffed. "Are you all right?"

"I am, no thanks to you," she angrily snapped back.

She took in a deep breath, she had never been that close to death in thousands of years. She lashed out at the wolf, kicking him in the side. She was going to make him pay for that, pay dearly.

As soon as the wolf chased Mother out of the room, Randal went to Aidan. He sadly shook his head. He could tell that the strength of the wolf was gone. "I see she used Lucrezia's poison on you."

"You knew about it?" Aidan asked him.

"Who do you think she tested it on first?"

Randal helped Aidan to stand. He felt like the old Aidan, his wolf-enhanced strength was gone. Brushing the dust from his clothes he said, "Come on, Josh is going to need some help."

They ran up the stairs, listening for the snarling of the wolf. They both stopped when they heard howling and snapping. "Josh," they both said.

They raced up the stairs and down several hallways. Coming out of one hallway they searched across an open floor. Both of them saw Josh's wolf encased in a metal net. He was rolling on the floor, trying to get out, Mother stood by his side.

Mother saw them run into the room, her eyes were dark with hatred. "You dared to send this beast after me, Randal?" she hissed. "I trusted you with my secret for thousands of years. I expect it from Aidan, but you? How could you do this to me?"

Randal moved closer to Mother. "I want you to know, the only reason why I agreed to watch the wolves, was because I knew any other Vampire would have mistreated them. I gave them a good life, as short as it was. You took a magnificent beast and brought it down to your level. You had to have their blood, needed it. And I was the one that gave it to you, but no more! It ends tonight. This is a spectacular animal, you've used him long enough."

Mother jumped back when she heard Oscar scream out a warning. The wolf managed to get its snout free from the net. Mother grabbed Oscar and shoved him in front of her. He screamed in terror as the wolf's jaws snapped at him. In a split second he bit off Oscar's head. Mother watched as Oscar's head rolled past her. She saw the wolf struggling to free itself from the net, but he only managed to get his head hopelessly entangled again.

Grinning at the wolf, she actually took a few steps toward him. She saw Aidan staring at the net that encased the wolf. "I'm surprised you never saw this coming," she told Aidan. "You've been with me long enough to know that I would have been prepared for anything, anything!"

She pointed to Oscar's head. "The wolf actually did me a favor. I was going to kill him anyway, can't have anyone else knowing my secret."

Slowly she circled the Wolf. Stopping behind him, Aidan saw her lift up her dress and pull something small and shinny out of a strap to her thigh. Randal knew exactly what she held, he had seen her use it before. Bending down she placed the silver knife's tip over the wolf's chest.

"I can see how close this one has become to the two of you. Even though I treasure his blood, have never tasted anything so sweet, I will end his life right now unless the two of you agree to do as I say." She slowly pushed the knife into the wolfs side. Immediately the wolf howled in pain, they could hear a hissing sound as the silver burned into his flesh.

"No, don't," Aidan and Randal said.

Mother slyly smiled, she pulled the knife back. "Good, then I have your full attention, now then, this is what's going to happen."

Randal laughed, "You actually think we're going to listen to you?"

She angrily glared at Randal. "You will do what I say because I know your weakness. You love the wolfs, both of you do." She gently patted Josh's wolf. "Aidan, I want you to meet with the Dutch and convince them that they could never win a battle against me. Because you saved one of them, they seem to have a misguided trust with you. I know they will not fully believe you, but it will give me more time to figure out how to kill them before they kill me."

"Randal, as much as I hate to admit it, I need you. You know these beasts, I'll be needing you for a special project. Now if neither of you do as I say, then I will make a declaration of war against the wolves. For now we've tolerated their existence. Used them for our own amusement, but I will make sure all that changes. I will say that it was Aidan's friendship with the wolves that changed him, made him rebel against our ways. That the Wolves are a danger to us."

"You won't have them all killed," Randal said. "You're addicted to their blood. Where will you get your fix?"

"This is where you come in, Randal," Mother coldly replied. "For a long time I've wanted to start my own breed of wolves. A breed that I could control. Aidan's friend here showed me exactly what type of human I need to create my new breed. I now know what to look for. I will create a werewolf whose human hates and despises its wolf. I will have all those that love their wolves destroyed. In the future the only wolf's that will exist will be in my kennels. And you Randal, will be in charge of the Kennel. You know the wolfs better than anyone on this planet. I will give you a chance to keep some of the 'magnificent beasts' alive."

"You think I'm going to stand around and allow that to happen?" Aidan said.

"I don't think," Mother said. "I know." She stuck the silver knife into the wolf's shoulder, he howled in pain as his flesh burned at the touch of the silver to his skin. "I give my word, for as long as you agree to my demands, he will be allowed to live."

Aidan couldn't stand to hear the wolf howling in pain, "I agree," he softly said.

"Of course you do," Mother replied as she pulled the knife out. The wound smoked and burned in the wolf's shoulder.

"What do you say, Randal? Help me create a new breed of wolf, or will I wipe them off the face of the earth?"

"You would do that?" Randal said. "Destroy your source of power?"

Mother tiredly closed her eyes. "The Dutch has been fighting me for control of the Vampire's for many years." Opening her eyes she said, "If you do not help me, then I may finally give them that control, and retire. I will slowly fade away, but before I do that, I will make sure not one wolf remains alive. Tell me Randal, what do you choose to do? Be a part of creating a new race of wolfs, or watch them become a member on the extinct animal list?"

"No," Aidan said. "I won't allow you to do that."

Mother whirled around, Aidan was stronger than she thought. He should have been unconscious by now, yet he fought the effects of the poison she gave him. She pointed a finger at Aidan. "You no longer have a say, you gave up that right the moment you drank your friend. You betrayed your Mother."

"Mother," Aidan spat out. "You're not my mother, you are the one that betrayed your own kind. I will fight you until my dying breath."

"No," Mother said. "That will not be how you die. When we get back, I need to make an example of you. I will bring you in front of the council and the woman that you love. Yes," Mother said. "When we return, I will make sure that Suren will be the one holding the stake that takes your life."

She cruelly laughed when she saw the pain in Aidan's eyes. "Poor Aidan, you thought being stronger would you defeat me. Don't feel bad, Aidan. I've been planning this moment for hundreds of years, you had just seconds to react."

Mother pointed to the wolf. "Now pick him up," she shouted to Randal. "I'm tired, and I want to leave this place now."

"I'm going to stop you," Sally said. She appeared in front of Mother.

"You stupid girl," Mother said. "I know what you've been up to. There are ghosts that are friends of the Vampires." She made tsking sounds. "Naughty girl, killing your own kind. You've developed quite a reputation in the world of the undead." She shook her head, "No, you will not be doing anything to stop me. Because if you do, you will loose yourself, forever."

She walked right through Sally, "Now bring Aidan's wolf," she shouted to Randal. She stared at Aidan. "I will be waiting for you in the car. If you take my offer, I may change my mind and allow you to live in exile. Run and I will make your wolf a permanent member of the dogfights. You will be hunted down, and dragged back to be made an example."

"NO they will not go, they will be staying here!" June shouted. She now stood in Mother's way. Floyd appeared next to her, then another ghost, and another. Soon hundreds of spirits stood in her way. Then in a split second they all moved towards June, until only she remained. "This end's now," June said in a haunted voice. Mother ignored her, she moved to walk through her too. As soon as she touched June, she flew back, slamming hard into one of the support pillars in the foyer.

A rumbling could be heard in the Carroll. A strong breeze flew through her hallways, first one way, then the next. The hairs on Aidan's neck stood up, it sounded as if the Carroll was breathing. The floors began to shake, plaster rained down, Randal could actually see the walls moving. He ran to Josh's wolf and protectively covered him with his body. June slowly walked towards Mother. With each step they could hear a banging that echoed from above and below. Sally could see that June's eyes were as white as snow. "June?" Sally said.

June's body remained facing forward, her head twisted to face Sally. "No, we are the Carroll," she said in a haunted voice. Twisting her head forward, she raised her hand. Mother lifted up in the air, supported by some unseen force. June looked at Mother, her head tilted. She sung in a high-pitched voice.

"_Carroll, Carroll you are so very dear."_

June moved her hand to the right, Mother flew right, slamming hard into a wall. It shattered as she slammed into it.

"_And when we die, you keep our souls in here." _

June moved her hand up, Mother cried out as she flew up, crashing into the ceiling she fell to the floor.

"_Carroll, Carroll, you are so very dear._

_Carroll, Carroll, you are one all must FEAR!"_

June easily moved Mother around the large room, slamming her into the floors, the walls. She didn't stop until she heard Mother cry out, "Please, no more."

She landed hard in the center of the dusty floor. She could feel the floor shaking under her. It felt as if every bone in her body was broken. Panting hard, she struggled to sit up. June stood in front of her. Her pale eyes stared down at her.

"You need to know," June said. "You need to know that there are things on this earth that are more powerful than you." Squatting down, she placed a finger under Mother's chin. Lifting it up, she stared straight into Mother's eyes.

"You need to know that there are more horrible things on this world than are dreamt of in your worst nightmares." She looked right into Mother's eyes. Mother began to tremble in her hand. "The ones you killed, or had killed surround you. You are soaked in them. See them, Mother. They wish to let you know what it was like to die a horrible death."

Mother saw spirits begin to pop up in front of her. She didn't recognized any of them, they were nothing to her when they died. One of them touched Mother, in a second she saw how they died by her hands. She felt their pain, their anguish. Then another touched her, and another. "NOOO," Mother wailed. She screwed her eyes shut, she tried to block out their deaths. But they just kept coming. Randal saw Mother trembling, crying like a child. June stood up, Mother's head fell to the ground. She was sobbing, babbling, "No more, please show me no more."

June touched her, Mother's head dropped down. Her body was shaking hard now. June tightly gripped Mother's head. "I could kill you now, but I won't. I think a better punishment is to have you live with your atrocities. You will forget what has happened here tonight. You will forget that Aidan and Josh know your secret. Everything that happened the past month will be erased from your memories. The empty space left will be filled with the memories of the deaths of those you killed. You will forever be plagued by them, Mother. This is the justice I have given you. I am not the monster that you are, I do not kill. Now go, Mother. Go back to where you were born." Randal had to blink his eyes, he actually saw her begin to disappear. When June lifted her hands, Mother was gone.


	31. Old Promises and New

Being Human: Mother Knows Best

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Thirty One

Old Promises and New

Once Mother disappeared, June slowly stood up. "Did you kill her?" Randal asked her. "Please say you killed her."

June angrily shook her head, "No I did not, I do not want her evil presence trapped within my walls."

"Then what did you do to her?" Aidan said.

June's dark eyes changed to a gentle look. "You Vampire's will never admit it, but you are very close to ghosts. Like distant cousins. What I did to her, was the same as touching us with an iron bar. She returned to the place where she died. But don't worry, I burned her memories from the past month. Aidan and Josh are safe, she does not know that they are aware of her secret."

In a dark forest, thousands of miles away, Mother appeared on a pile of dead leaves. Looking up she could see that the sun was just rising. Looking down she saw her dress shredded and new cuts stinging on her body. She struggled to try and figure out what happened to her and why she found herself sitting in a forest.

She trembled as her mind was suddenly assaulted with visions of people she had killed. She hugged her arms across her body and tried to block them out, but they would not go away. Standing she searched around, she slowly realized that she may know where she was. Twitching, she wiped the tears from her face.

She slowly walked through the dark forest, the memories of past deaths still raced through her mind, she fought to hide them as she searched for an answer of how she got here, and what happened to her.

June looked at Sally. "Hold on to the good memories, Sally. Hold on tight. They are what anchor us to this world. You are blessed to have loyal friends, remember that when your days are the darkest." Lifting her arms, Sally saw all the ghosts in the Carroll fly out of her. She fell to the ground, exhausted. The darkness in the room lifted, the shaking of the Carroll stopped. She saw Cecil slowly appear next to June.

"What happened?" he asked Sally. It had taken him this long to recover from Oscar's attack. He saw June kneeling on the floor, "Princess, are you all right?"

June nodded her head, she tiredly smiled. "Yes, more than all right." She looked at Aidan, she saw him staring at her. Then she saw something else.

"There you are," she sighed.

Cecil looked up, he saw a door begin to appear. "Princess," Cecil sighed. "I believe it's yours."

"Yes," she said. "That was why I couldn't use it the first time." She chuckled when she looked at Aidan. "I needed to save you one more time."

She stood up, looking stronger than ever. "You knew this was going to happen?" Sally asked her.

"Well," June said. "Not this exactly, I just knew that in the future Aidan's life would be in great danger."

"Fifty years is a long wait," Randal said. Brushing the plaster from the wolfs fur, he stood up, they were safe for now. Mother actually did them a favor. The net was strong enough to hold the wolf until morning.

"Not so long," June said. "When you know a friend's life is at stake."

She slowly walked up to Aidan. He struggled on what to say to her. "Don't," June exhaled. Reaching up, she gently kissed him on the cheek. Aidan felt her icy touch. "Thank…you," he whispered.

"You're welcome," June replied. She tiredly sighed. "I've always believed in miracles." She wagged her finger at Aidan. "I'll be looking for you, don't disappoint me."

Aidan closed his eyes as he thanked her for the sacrifices she made.

"I've always loved you," she told Aidan. "But it's okay if you don't feel the same." Grinning widely she walked to her door. "You coming soon?" she asked Cecil.

He was standing next to Randal. Looking at him he shook his head. "Actually I think I may stay a bit. Randal and I were talking earlier. He said he's going to stay at the Carroll, after everything dies down." He mouthed, _"Dead Ghost Hunters."_

"I asked him if he'd like to stay and help me," Randal said. "I've always wanted to start a refuge for Wolves. Help the newbies, and give a safe harbor for the veterans. They need a place that they can safely change without persecution. I've watched wolves change so long, I know I can give them good advice."

June shook her head, "A Vampire and a ghost." Looking at Sally she said, "I've never heard of such a ridiculous thing."

Laughing, she smiled at Cecil, "You know I'll be waiting for you, I'll tell your father what you did. I know he'll be very proud."

Cecil appeared next to June. He hugged her tight, "Take care, Princess. I love you."

"I love you too," June uttered.

Breaking off the hug, she rushed through the doorway. As soon as she walked through the door closed. It instantly disappeared.

"You sure you want to do this?" Randal asked Cecil.

"Sure," Cecil said. "After spending fifty years of hiding in this place, I can't wait to get started."

Randal looked at the trapped wolf, "I hope you don't mind, but you'll have to wait just one more night."

Cecil plopped down on the floor, he had never felt so exhausted. "No problem," he breathed.

The next morning Josh woke up with a start. The memories of last night rushed through him. "Oh man," he groaned. He winced as his shoulder and side ached. "Tell me that didn't happen."

Opening his eyes he saw a concerned Aidan, Randal, Sally and Cecil looking down at him. "It happened," he moaned.

Jumping up to sit he blurted out, "What happened, did it work? Did you dump the bucket on that witch?" He looked around, he was sitting in the storage room on the fifth floor. He noticed that he was not wearing a shirt, and that his shoulder was bandaged, as well as his side. He saw several ghosts standing in the room. He also saw an apologetic look on Aidan's face.

"Don't tell me, after all we went through she's still alive and kicking."

Aidan quickly told him all that happened after he changed.

Josh sadly shook his head. "So, Mother is still alive. My cuts and bruises are not happy to hear that."

"At least you're alive to feel them," Sally hopefully added.

"But it wasn't for Aidan's lack of trying," Cecil said. "The Carroll let her live."

"The Carroll," Josh shook his head in wonder, "Never saw that coming."

"Some good came out of it," Randal said. "You were able to fight off the wolf for a while, I saw it. You said you wanted to find a cure. Perhaps this will be a way to help you in your research."

"Perhaps," Josh said, he looked up at Aidan, he could sense a change in him. "How do you feel?" he asked Aidan. "Did my blood actually work on you?"

"I never felt stronger in my life. Your blood, it was intoxicating. I know now why Mother hid it from the other vampires. I won't lie to you, for a second there, I did have thoughts of joining her, if it meant drinking your blood again."

"What changed your mind?"

Aidan looked at Sally, "A good friend helped me stay on track."

If Sally had blood, she would be blushing. She just said, "That's what friends are for."

"God I hope you don't break out singing," Josh said. "'Cause I'm really not up to it right now. Oh no, with Mother loose, she's going to be after me again."

Randal patted Josh on the back. "Don't worry, my friend. If The Carroll did wipe out Mother's memories for the past month, then you are now off her radar."

Tiredly sighing, Josh half-heartedly smiled. "Whoopee, went from Mr. Popular to 'Who's he?'." Looking at the other ghosts in the room he nodded his head to them. "I haven't forgotten my promise to you. Once I'm healed, I'll help you find your doors."

"Don't you worry about that," Floyd said. He appeared standing next to Randal. "Randal said he'd help us find our doors. But if you still want to help, it's welcomed."

Josh looked up at Randal, "You staying?"

Randal shrugged his shoulders, "Yeah, kinda got used to the place. I want to set it up as a refuge for wolves. I'll tell Mother that since the wolves that she wants are becoming scarce, I'm going to breed them myself. Now that I know that's what she secretly wanted to do anyway, I know she'll allow me. It'll give me a chance to get away from all that mess that Mother calls home."

Randal winked at Josh, "But she'll never know that I'll be setting this place up as a refuge." He smiled at Josh, "And funny thing, I'll have to tell her, after many years of trying, that I just can't breed out the crave to change that this new generation has." He patted Josh on the back. "You are a dying breed my friend."

Josh nodded his head, "Yep, that's me, one of a kind." He gave Floyd a serious look. "I keep my promises, I'll still try to help you find your doors."

"We all thank you," Floyd said.

A young man suddenly appeared, "The police are finished searching this floor," he told Aidan.

"Oh, that's why we're here," Josh said, in revelation.

"Yes," Aidan said. "It seems someone made an anonymous phone call to the police last night that there was an 'incident' at the Carroll. We brought your wolf here last night. The metal net kept him safely confined until morning. The police has been searching the Carroll for the killers since they arrived. But as you know, that could take a long time. The other ghosts here have been keeping an eye out for us."

"Thanks," Josh said to the spirits in the room. "For helping us."

Floyd gently smiled at him, "You are very welcome." Floyd looked at Aidan, "Polite, loyal, you found yourself a good friend there, Aidan."

"Yes," Aidan said. "I know." He let out a heavy sigh. "Josh, I can't stay here."

"I know," Josh said. "You have to go back for Suren."

Aidan gently smiled, he knew him well. "You don't have to come back with me. You'll be safe from Mother here."

Josh angrily stood up, "Let's see, for the past month I was whipped, drugged, chained, dragged, thought of changing my name to 'The Human football,' possessed...TWICE! After all that you think I'm going to just stay here, so I'm 'safely hidden'?"

Aidan gave Josh a look of thanks, "Guess not," he softly said. "Thanks."

"It's not just you," Josh quickly added. "Um, the plants at the house must be screaming for me to water them. Remember, I'm loyal to a fault, even to plants."

"Of course," Aidan said, clearing his throat. "You have to go home to water the plants."

"Aw," Sally said. "I love bromances."

Aidan and Josh uneasily smiled and began talking about what they were going to do once they got back home.

They had to wait until nightfall when the police finally were satisfied that the killers were long gone. Floyd told them that they all left except for one guard posted downstairs in the foyer. It was now safe for them to leave out the back. As they walked out of the Carroll, Randal jogged into the forest. Moments later he returned with his car. They had hidden it in the forest before the police arrived.

Exiting the car, Randal jogged back to where the spirits stood at the boundaries of the Carroll. "Once I drive them to Boston, I'm coming back," he told Floyd.

The woman with her baby hugged her tight. "We'll be waiting for you."

"I'm going with you," Cecil said. He looked out into the forest. "I've been stuck here for so long, I can't wait to see what's out there."

As they walked towards the car, Aidan stopped. Turning around he looked up at the Carroll. "Whoever built her, knew what they were doing."

"Yes," Cecil said. "She does protect the souls within, like a mother protecting her brood…a good mother. I don't think she kept the souls locked up in her to be mean, I think it was to keep them safe from the outside world.'  
>"I believe you're right," Aidan said. "I have to admit, she's always felt like home to me."<p>

"I got that same feeling," Josh said. "Guess if things get really bad, we know we have a place we can safely stay."

Spinning around, Aidan resumed walking towards the car. "Mother's memory of what happened the past month has been wipe from her mind." He opened the door to the car, "I think our bad days are behind us."

Josh gazed back at the Carroll, he then looked at Sally. He saw her glancing at her side, he knew what she was looking at. Looking at her side he said, "Just remember, I kicked your ass once, and I'll do it again."

Sally grinned as she saw Josh was looking eye to eye at Scott. He quickly popped out. "So my hero," Sally said with a giggle.

When they saw Aidan giving them a confused look, they both said, "Tell you later."

They piled into the car, and slowly drove away. Aidan didn't know what lie ahead for him. Now that he knew Mother's secret, he could use it against her. First he needed to get in touch with the Dutch. Mother herself told him that they were her biggest threat. He wanted to see if the feeling was mutual. Looking at the rear view mirror, he saw Josh and Sally staring at him.

They risked so much to come to the Carroll and help him. Even though it didn't end as planned, they did come out a bit ahead. They all knew a secret that could flip the entire Vampire world upside down. Aidan swore that night, once he got Suren away from Mother, he would do all he could to take her down.

But this time he would do it his way. But he had to admit, Mother was right to keep the wolfs blood a secret. He couldn't imagine how the world would be occupied with wolf-blood-boosted Vampires. That was a very scary thought.

No, for now her secret would be kept just that, a secret. Only the four sitting in the car would know. They swore that they would never tell anyone. If it did come out, all the werewolf's would be hunted down by the Vampires. Their lives would end up being kept in a vampires private stock. They all agreed, Mother's secret can never be revealed.

Suddenly feeling more tired than ever, Aidan closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.

He began to dream, he found himself standing in a forest. He heard fighting in the distance. Running towards it, he stopped. He saw Josh lying on the ground, Ray held a shotgun to his head. Behind Ray, Nora held a gun pointed at him. He wanted to help Josh, but found his feet would not move. Suddenly the ground began to swallow him up, he heard taunting laughter. Mother was standing above him.

"…and the eternal madness that results," she told him as he sunk deeper into the ground. "Is a fate worse than no other."

He fought to breathe, but the dirt filled his nose, and his lungs. He was sucked into a coffin. He tried to claw his way out when he heard two shots.

Aidan woke up with a start. He was sitting next to Randal in the car. He glanced back, he was thankful to see Josh was sleeping soundly.

"Sounds like you had a bad dream," Randal told him.

Aidan wiped the sweat from his face, "Yes, that's what it was, just a bad dream." "I bet you can't wait to get back to Boston."

"Yes," Aidan softly said. He sat up, the dream quickly faded from his memories. Tiredly sighing, he softly said. "I can't wait."

The End

I want to thank you for taking your personal time to read my story. I also want to thank all that have given me the great reviews. I'm glad to share my love with you all. Now on to the next!


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